A serial burglar who carried out more than 60 burglaries in and around Bolton has been jailed for four years.

Described as a one-man crimewave, Alex Rigby, aged 26, stole to fund his heroin addiction, Bolton Crown Court heard yesterday.

Rigby, of Boundary Gardens, Halliwell, pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary in Bolton and asked for 58 similar offences, carried out in Bolton, Darwen and Blackpool, to be taken into consideration.

Rigby admitted breaking into a bungalow in Belmont Road, Bolton, on November 5 last year by smashing a kitchen door. He stole a Honda Jazz car, three televisions and a DVD player.

On November 21, Rigby stole digital cameras, two handbags and the keys to a BMW, which he drove off from a house in Ainsdale Road, Darwen.

The same day, he broke into a house in Windy Harbour Lane, Bromley Cross, and stole three watches and the keys to two Mercedes cars, which were not taken.

On November 25, Rigby broke into a house in Shady Lane, Bromley Cross, by smashing a ground-floor window and stole a laptop computer which he told police he sold for £100.

Rigby was arrested on November 28 when officers in an unmarked police car spotted him driving the stolen BMW on the A666 in Bolton.

Police also found traces of his blood at the house in Shady Lane.

During questioning by both Greater Manchester and Lancashire Police, Rigby admitted the burglaries and also confessed to earlier offences.

Sue Carter, prosecuting, said: "The majority of these offences would never have been detected without the defendant's admissions."

Rosalind Emsley-Smith, defending, said Rigby had a prolific criminal history, adding: "He is almost like a one-man Bolton burglary crimewave.

"His offending appears somewhat relentless, returning to offending almost immediately from being released from previous custodial sentences."

Miss Emsley-Smith said Rigby, who had previous convictions for burglary and theft going back to 1997, had a hard upbringing and been left homeless at the age of 15, when his criminal career began in earnest and when he started to become addicted to heroin.

Judge Timothy Clayson said: "It's fair to say that these offences have come to light as a result of you choosing to admit them to the police."

12:19pm Friday 25th April 2008

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