Prolific Peterborough Thief Breached Criminal Behaviour Order

A prolific thief with hundreds of convictions for thefts from vehicles has breached a court order by walking a friend’s dog on Boxing Day.

Paul Priestley, 43, whose criminal record spans more than 25 years, was made subject of a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) in March 2019 prohibiting him from touching or entering any unattended vehicle without the owner’s permission.

The order was put in place ahead of him being released from prison in June 2019 after serving time for offences including thefts from vehicles.

Just three months after his release he was convicted of breaching the CBO as well as six counts of interfering with a vehicle with intent to steal and was handed 14 months in prison.

In April 2020, after his release, a further condition was added to his CBO, meaning he must adhere to a curfew between 11pm and 6am.

However, on an unannounced visit to his home in All Saints Road, Peterborough, last week, he told police he may have breached his curfew by leaving the house before 6am to take his friend’s dog out.

The officers were able to check his movements via his electronic tag, which showed he left the home at 5.19am on Boxing Day and had walked around the local area for 41 minutes.

Priestley was arrested on New Year’s Eve and charged with breaching a criminal behaviour order, which he admitted at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Saturday (1 January) and was fined £100.

Sergeant Steph Parker, from the Neighbourhood Support Team, said: “Priestley is a prolific criminal with hundreds of offences to his name, predominantly around thefts from vehicles and vehicle interference.

“I would urge anyone who sees him breaching the conditions of his court order to contact us. Also, please reduce the chances of your vehicle being targeted by people like Priestley by double checking it is locked before you leave it and not leaving any items on display.”