Police hunt snow-shovel burglary suspect

Officers want to trace the man after properties on Arlington Avenue, Clumber Rise and Windsor Rise, Aston, were raided on Saturday and Monday.

On Saturday footprints were found leading to the back door of a property on Arlington Avenue shortly after the resident spotted a man acting suspiciously in the area.

Police said that nothing had been taken from the property but said that they would like to speak to the man in connection with the other thefts.

His was in his early 20s, around 5ft 9ins tall and was wearing a woolly hat and carrying a snow shovel when he was spotted at around 3.20pm.

A man fitting a similar description was spotted in a house on Clumber Rise, Aston, at around 3pm on Monday.

When confronted on the driveway outside the address he asked if the homeowner wanted the drive cleared of snow.

This time the suspect was described as having a “fresh youthful round face” and a local accent.

He was wearing a dark hat with a flap, a grey coat and was carrying a large blue snow shovel.

A police spokeswoman said: “It appears that some birthday cards were stolen.”

Around an hour later, at around 4pm on Monday, footprints in the snow were found leading from a property on Windsor Rise, Aston, to a fence at the at the bottom of the back garden.

Cash was found to be missing from inside the property.

Det Chief Insp Craig Robinson said: “We believe that these three break-ins have been committed by the same individual and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

“We would also like to speak to anyone who may have been approached by a young man in his 20s matching the descriptions mentioned, carrying a large blue snow shovel, asking to clear driveways for cash.”

Anyone with information should contact Pc Paul Stasi or Dc Marie Norton on 01709 832 635 or e-mail [email protected]