A Brighton man has been jailed for 40 months after a five-week crime spree during which he stole from and burgled more than a dozen shops and businesses.
Jason Turner, 40, of The Crestway, in Hollingdean, headbutted one shopkeeper, in London Road, and was alleged to have threatened a Brighton and Hove taxi driver with a knife.
He stole goods worth thousands of pounds and caused damage costing thousands more to fix while leaving traders and employees distressed and traumatised.
At a sentencing hearing at Brighton Crown Court, Natasha Dardashti, prosecuting, said that Turner, a gas engineer and father of two, blamed unnamed Albanians, saying that he had acted under duress.
Turner even singled out a man on security camera footage that was shown to a jury during his trial at Chichester Crown Court, saying that he was one of the Albanians.
But detectives traced the man. He turned out to be an innocent passer-by who had never met Turner and came from Liverpool not Albania.
Most of the burglaries and thefts happened in Brighton over about three weeks in January and February last year although the first happened in Watford.
Turner broke in to Ocean Bells coffee shop, in Watford High Street, by kicking the door in at just after 5am, and stole the cash drawer and tips jar from the café. The cash drawer contained about £150.
The court was told that the break in triggered a smart security camera system which then tracked Turner as he made off through the town.
When arrested, he had £188 and two knives. He said that the cash was his benefits money and that he had gone out to meet prostitutes and smoke crack.
Jonathan Atkinson, prosecuting, told the jury at Turner’s trial at Chichester Crown Court: “Over a four-week period in January and February of 2023, Jason Turner went on a criminal spree in Brighton and Hove city centre.
“This included breaking into commercial properties in the early hours of the morning and stealing cash, phones, electrical items and even clothes.
“On other occasions, he would find an excuse to enter premises such as a pub or a hotel and, once on the premises, would take advantage of the situation to steal cash and electrical equipment.
“On two occasions, when he was confronted by staff members who were simply trying to do their job, he became threatening and violent.
“On one occasion, when a member of staff … tried to stop him from leaving with a stolen phone, the defendant threatened to slit his throat before then punching him and headbutting him.
“On another occasion, when a member of bar staff, who we say was working on their own trying to lock up a pub at closing time, tried to stop him from stealing from the till, the defendant threatened him, telling him that he was going to get hurt.
“On yet another occasion, when a taxi driver simply asked the defendant to pay the fare that he was owed, the defendant drew a knife from his pocket and threatened to cut the taxi driver open if he didn’t leave him alone.”
Detective Constable James Botting said: “Turner is a prolific offender with a repeated desire to follow a path of criminality.
“He has targeted addresses throughout the city without a thought about the impact he causes or the lasting trauma these crimes cause his victims.
“As well as individual victims, many businesses, the majority of them small, will have suffered greatly due to Turner’s choices.
“We have made the streets a safer place, removing an individual whose only motive was to steal without thought of the repercussions.
“This was an incredibly complex series of crimes, with multiple investigations taking place at the same time, all leading towards Turner being the culprit.
“With 13 locations and 14 offences, huge levels of resourcing were required to thoroughly investigate and tie together the crimes.
“Not only was there an incredible amount of teamwork seen from departments within Sussex Police but from the public who played a key role in providing useful information to support the numerous investigations.
“Turner managed to evade capture during early arrest attempts but, after persistent police action, he was remanded and prevented from further offending, leading to a sentence of 40 months for his involvement in this series of criminal activity.”
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At his sentencing hearing at Brighton Crown Court, Miss Dardashti said that, once Turner was back in Brighton, he embarked on a spree of thefts and burglaries.
On Thursday 12 January last year, he forced his way into the Flight Centre, in Western Road, Brighton.
Miss Dardashti said: “Staff arrived to find that the rear door of the travel agents had been entered. Due to water damage the door had been insecure.”
He stole a TV, computers and a vacuum cleaner before making his escape. But, despite stealing a vacuum cleaner, he failed to make a clean getaway.
Sussex Police said that a forensic examination found Turner’s fingerprints at the scene, linking him to the crime.
Four days later, on Monday 16 January, Turner went into Cash Generator, in London Road, Brighton, and stole a mobile phone. After being confronted on the street by Miles Partridge, a member of staff, Turner headbutted Mr Partridge, causing him actual bodily harm (ABH).
When police arrived, Turner claimed to be the victim. After further inquiries, a warrant was issued for his arrest and police tried to find him.
On the evening of Tuesday 24 January, he went into the Yellow Book bar in York Place, Brighton, saying that he needed to use the toilet.
The pub was empty as it was about to close for the evening and Turner used this as an opportunity to steal the takings from the till.
A staff member spotted Turner and confronted him and tried to stop him from taking the cash. Turner said: “If you do, you’ll get hurt.”
Turner, formerly of Hollingdean Road, Brighton, then fled.
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In the early morning of Thursday 26 January, Turner went into the staff room of the Amsterdam hotel, in Marine Parade, Brighton, and stole an employee’s Bluetooth speaker and perfume.
Around one hour later, an alarm was triggered at another business in Marine Parade. A window had been smashed and the till completely removed from the reception.
A week later, in the early hours of Thursday 2 February, Turner broke into The Island takeaway, in Edward Street, stealing the till and helping himself to a variety of beverages.
Just a few hours later, still in the hours of darkness, Turner forcefully entered the cellar hatch of the Market Inn pub, in Market Street, in The Lanes, making off with a large quantity of stock.
Two days later, on Saturday 4 February, Turner struck twice more. Just before 1am, he was filmed by a security camera breaking into Pendulum, a clothes shop, in Brighton Square, in The Lanes. He returned at about 2am and stole various items as well as money.
Less than two hours later, he went into Hotel Selina, in King’s Road, and waited until the receptionist had left the front desk.
He then walked behind the reception and stole two laptops belonging to the hotel as well as the receptionist’s personal backpack.
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The next day, on Sunday 5 February, Turner went into the office at Holden Court, the Brighton University student flats, in Hollingdean Road, and stole a large quantity of appliances and electronics.
And on Monday 6 February, Turner was located and arrested at his nearby Hollingdean home on suspicion of five of the burglaries as well as the one count of assault causing ABH and one of theft. He was also arrested for failing to appear at court to face unrelated charges.
Turner was interviewed and released on conditional bail while further inquiries were carried out.
On the evening of Wednesday 8 February, Turner broke a window at the Isaac At restaurant, in Gloucester Street. He was seen by a member of the public reaching into the window and was later found to have stolen money from the till.
The next day (Thursday 9 February) at around 5am, Turner tried to enter Carmella, a sweet shop in Kensington Gardens. He caused significant damage to the doors but failed to enter the premises.
Later that day, Turner threatened a taxi driver with a knife near Volk’s Railway, in Madeira Drive, after the driver asked hi to pay his fare. Turner said: “If you don’t want me to cut you open then just go”.
The victim called the police and Turner was arrested shortly afterwards at the scene on suspicion of having a knife which he had planted on his girlfriend. While in custody, he was also arrested for two other burglaries.
The next day, Turner was charged and remanded in custody. While awaiting his trial, Turner was linked to four more offences.
Security camera footage and forensic evidence placed him at the scene of each crime. He was charged soon after his arrest with 14 offences.
At Brighton Crown Court, the judge, Recorder David Brock, said: “All the offences are so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate. I must and do have regard to the totality of the sentence.”
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