A prolific burglar with a penchant for City of London pubs and bars has been jailed more than four years.
Paul Sean Maher, 51, of Caledonian Road, Islington, also known as Dean Frances Maher, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court after pleading guilty to seven counts of burglary.
The court heard how Maher carried out a two-month-long series of thefts, targeting staff offices and residential premises in or near public houses, often entering through unsecured doors when backs were turned.
On 18 January this year, Maher entered the Ye Olde Cock Tavern in Fleet Street and stole an iPad belonging to a member of staff.
Six days later, he accessed a flat above Rudds Bar, Queen Victoria Street, doing a search of the property and leaving with an expensive laptop estimated to be worth £2,000.
He struck again on 26 January when he targeted a residential flat above the Red Lion pub in Eldon Street and took a camera worth £900.
Then, on 8 March, he was spotted on CCTV snatching six bottles of champagne, valued at £410, from a second pub in Fleet Street, The Punch Tavern, before hiding them under his clothes and walking out.
He also committed burglaries at three North London pubs in one day when he targeted two watering holes in Essex Road (N1) and one in White Lion Street (N1).
Detectives from City of London Police, working in partnership with Metropolitan Police Islington’s Angel Police Team, spoke to witnesses and gathered CCTV, and Maher was quickly identified after his image was shared on local police intelligence systems.
In his interview, Maher admitted to each of the burglaries, stating he had stolen each of the items with the intention of selling them on.
PC Katherine Crosskey from the City of London Police force said: “Maher, like many burglars, took advantage of unsecured rooms, or people’s attention being elsewhere, to steal belongings which he took with the intention of selling on for his own gain.
“He rightly admitted his wrongdoing, and hopefully this sentence gives him the opportunity to reflect on his actions, and brings some comfort to his victims – some of whom have not had their items returned to them.”
