Man tries to burgle houses wearing a high visibility jacket

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunda ... 01751.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Meet Ulster’s dimmest burglar — who went on a dead-of-night robbery spree lit up like a Christmas tree. Stupid Stephen Hamilton, known as ‘Freddy’, proved he was no bright spark when he wore a glow-in-the-dark bib as he tried to break into six homes on the same street.

The cretin crook’s flourescent bib meant the game was up before he even had the chance to rob one house.

Neighbours in the area called cops as soon as they spotted dozy Hamilton’s high-visibility jacket moving around in the dark as he went from house to house jiggling door and window handles.

And cops with a sniffer dog quickly tracked him to a nearby supermarket carpark.

Hapless Hamilton (pictured right), 24, tried to dupe officers by giving a false name but when police searched him they discovered the high-vis coat that had alerted neighbours.

They also later found his scooter dumped near the scene.

Judge Peter Gibson branded Hamilton’s bungling 4.30am burglary attempt in Dundonald ‘amateurish in the extreme’ when he sentenced him to 15 months in jail, suspended for three years.

And when Sunday Life confronted Hamilton at his north Belfast house last week, the lanky lad held his hands up to being a bungling burglar.

“I dunno. It was just f***ing stupid,” he confessed when asked why he wore a flourescent bib on his under cover of darkness raid.

He said he got the bib when he was working as a postman.

“I was gambling a lot when I did it and needed cash or whatever to pay for it,” added the red-faced thief.

Hamilton, who has a record for burglary, was on bail for other offences — including going equipped for theft — when he struck at Dunlady Manor in Dundonald in February.

Dopey Hamilton, who lives at Lawther Court, pleaded guilty to six charges of attempted burglary and one of obstructing cops on February 19.

Prosecutor Nicola Auret told Downpatrick Crown Court that Hamilton had a previous record for burglary and theft.

Hamilton’s defence lawyer said his client was a gambling addict who needed help.

Hamilton’s bungling raid has earned him a place in websites which list the thickest criminals in modern policing.

He’s been lumped in with the one-legged thief caught by Bristol cops earlier this month trying to steal a bicycle and the US ram-raiders snared when they left their number plate at the scene of a botched cash machine robbery.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunda ... z0RoewABjV" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DGP1]

It's nice to see stupidity knows no national boundries but just think that RM actually employed him in the first place

[pinstripe]

It's nice to see stupidity knows no national boundries but just think that RM actually employed him in the first place

And why not? With joined up thinking like that he could easily be a manager.

[Thunderthighs]

I don't see why you are all knocking him. He is obviously very Health and Safety orientated, so should be commended!
I think his brother was the one who wore sunglasses in a coal mine to keep the dust out.
Very nice family, I've been told.

[Lounge Lizard]

“I dunno. It was just f***ing stupid,”
- Presumably he picked up language like that AFTER he left Royal Mail.

[opgpat]

Trainer said to him on his induction day -'You must wear a hi-vis at all times when walking around out and about.' and he obviously thought that meant even after he left. Clever guy.

[Lounge Lizard]

Or maybe there's more to this case than meets the eye. He could have been trying to outwit the police who next day might be quizzing current Royal Mail employees while he was out commiting some other crime, and he had the sense to realise just the blue shirt wouldn't be good enough for this ploy at night.

[opgpat]

He should have got a bundle of letters and a pouch together as 10pm deliveries arn't that out of the norm these days he could have blagged it.