Police video shows burglar caught hiding in cupboard wearing just his underpants after going on the run

Man pleads guilty to burglary after attempting to break into shop cigarette cabinet

A burglar was caught hiding in a bedroom cupboard wearing just his underpants after being on the run for a month, a police video has revealed.

Ashley Bowen, 29, had been on the run since he broke into a Co-op in Endon, Staffordshire, in December and attempted to steal cigarettes, a court heard.

Bowen jumped over the shop’s counter and tried to open a cigarette cabinet with a crowbar he had used to break into the shop.

After several failed attempts, he tried again with an angle grinder without success before attempting to smash open an ATM in the Co-op with the tool.

Although the man left empty-handed, he caused the shop significant damage and went into hiding for a month until police officers found him in a cupboard at an address in Bentilee, Staffordshire, on 18 January.

“Bowen persisted in his efforts to get cigarettes from the store but we persisted in our efforts to catch him,” Detective Constable David Stubbs, from Staffordshire Police’s CID, said.

“Those who commit crime will be brought to justice.”

The 29-year-old was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 11 May after pleading guilty to assault by beating, damaging property, burglary, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance on 28 May 2019.

He was also sentenced after pleading guilty to obstructing a police officer on 18 January.

Bowen was jailed for 18 months for the burglary and two months for damaging property.

He was also jailed for 10 months for dangerous driving in connection with a separate offence and disqualified from driving for 27 months, with an order to take an extended driving test.

Additional reporting by agencies