Man, 43, jailed for burgling elderly woman’s home

A 43-year-old man has been jailed for more than four years after he admitted to burgling an elderly woman’s home in Rothwell.

Ricky Stephen Macrae, of no fixed abode, slipped into the Castle Hill property on the evening of April 4 when the homeowner unlocked the door momentarily to let her cat out.

Once inside, Macrae stole the woman’s purse before leaving via a side door.

Thankfully, a family member with access to the woman’s doorbell camera realised Macrae had broken in and he was subsequently arrested.

He was then charged with one count of burglary and after pleading guilty to the offence at Northampton Crown Court in May, he returned to the same court last month (June 13) where he was sentenced to four years and two months in prison.

He was also give a ten-year criminal behaviour order.

Lead investigator - PC Philip Wright from Northamptonshire Police’s Burglary Team, said: “I am really pleased with the significant sentence handed out to Ricky Macrae as it demonstrates the seriousness with which the police and the courts take incidents of burglary.

“We are really passionate in our team about putting as many burglars behind bars as we can because we know how significantly being a victim of burglary can affect a person.

“I hope this result reassures our communities in Northamptonshire and I want to make it clear that we will continue working hard to bring more people like Ricky Macrae to justice.”