A creeping thief who burgled people's houses as they slept upstairs has been jailed.
Stephen Connolly, 42, was wanted on recall to prison when he was caught red-handed with a haul of stolen goods in April this year.
Connolly carried out two burglaries in Shaw Heath area in the early hours of April 8, 2020.
Police say he stole a laptop and car from a house in Kimberley Street while the occupants were asleep upstairs.
He raided another property on Ladysmith Street, again while the occupants slept upstairs. He fled the scene with a laptop, a car and a second set of car keys.
Connolly was caught after police officers went looking for him at his home in Stockport. He wanted on recall to prison at the time.
He was arrested when police received a report of a man behaving suspiciously nearby.
Officers chased Connolly on foot and found him in possession of a number of stolen items.
Connolly, of HMP Forest Bank, was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to four years and three months imprisonment, after pleading guilty to two counts of burglary and one count of taking a conveyance without authority.
PC Connor, of GMP’s Stockport district, said: “Connolly thought he could evade justice by trying to hide from officers when they attended to arrest him so I am pleased he is now in prison.
“I hope this case provides Connolly's victims and members of the public with reassurance that Greater Manchester Police is committed to catching offenders.
“We will continue to do our best to ensure criminals face justice and protect the public from opportunists like Connolly."
