Woman who burgled two homes jailed

A woman who burgled two homes in Stoke-on-Trent has been jailed.

Jade Cobden, 32, of Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, has been sentenced to one-year-and-eight-months in prison at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Tuesday (28 October) after she admitted two counts of burglary at an earlier hearing.

In June and July this year, Cobden forced her way into two homes in the city and took items from inside. In the first burglary on Christine Street, she woke up the victim who came downstairs and saw her leaving through the back door. When he challenged her, she threw a £20 note in his direction, and the victim got the stolen items back off her.

In the second burglary on Dividy Road, Jade was found in one of the upstairs bedrooms by a man. She left the address but was quickly located and arrested by officers. Candles, food and alcohol had been taken from the house.

We built the evidence needed to secure charges against Cobden, who later admitted the offences in court.

As part of her sentencing, she was also ordered to pay £187 in surcharge.

PC Thomas Barnett, from the Stoke South local policing team, said: “We’re continuing to act proactively against those responsible for burglary, theft and robbery across Staffordshire, which is why we’ve been able to drive reductions in these crimes types in 2024, when compared to 2023.

“Burglary offences were also reduced by 27 per cent between August this year and the year before.”

As we approach the darker winter months, it can unfortunately be a time where we see an increase in the number of burglaries in Staffordshire.

There are a number of ways you can deter opportunists from targeting your home or business, including:

• Keeping valuables, such as car keys, jewelry and expensive goods out of sight of windows and entry points
• Installing CCTV and security lighting around the premises
• Ensuring windows and doors are locked, especially when no one is in

For more important tips on securing your property, visit our website here: Keep burglars out of your property | Staffordshire Police