Police on patrol detain Crawley burglary suspect

We cannot be everywhere all the time, but we could be anywhere at any time.

That’s what one man discovered after police on patrol in Crawley found him leaning into a car which did not belong to him.

Fast-track enquiries revealed he was linked to a number of other offences, and he was subsequently arrested, charged and remanded for multiple offences.

James Eastwood, 37, of no fixed address, appeared before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 5 July, where he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, possession of cannabis, obstructing police in the execution of their duty, theft from a motor vehicle, burglary with intent to steal, and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

It comes after he was detained by police in Ifield Road, Crawley, on Sunday 2 July.

He pleaded not guilty to a further offence of causing grievous bodily harm and has been further remanded for trial on a date yet to be set.

Oli Robinson, of Crawley CID, said: “Theft from vehicles and burglaries are often a topic of discussion amongst local communities and social media, and we recognise the impact this has on victims. On this occasion, a proactive stop has quickly recovered items belonging to at least two different victims which can now be returned.”