Prolific burglar caught on camera stealing parcels in a Just Eat bag

Phillip Thompson pretended to be delivering food but instead burgled homes and communal areas of buildings across Cardiff and Penarth.

After he was arrested, he admitted burgling a total of 79 properties.

Officer in the case Detective Sergeant Andrew Coakley, from South Wales Police said:

“Phillip Thompson used different tactics to gain access to properties.
“As well as sometimes forcing entry and taking advantage of an open door or window, he also turned up at student hall of residence with a paint pot claiming to be a decorator and acquired a Just Eat bag pretending to deliver food.
“Unfortunately for him, he was caught on CCTV and from those images we identified him using Retrospective Facial Recognition.”

CCTV footage below shows him stealing parcels from the communal area of Quayside in Butetown.

Thompson was arrested in November 2023 on suspicion of 11 burglaries.

While he was on remand awaiting trial, detectives continued to investigate other similar incidents.

The 35-year-old from Adamsdown, was reinterviewed and admitted a further 69 burglaries in Cardiff and Penarth between July 2023 to January 2024.

He later pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court and on May 9, 2024, he was sentenced to seven years and one month imprisonment for assault, coercive and controlling behaviour and 10 residential burglaries. The further 69 residential burglaries were taken into consideration.

DS Coakley added:

"We treat burglaries extremely seriously and will use all available technology to bring offenders to justice.
“We hope that the outcome of this investigation will bring some comfort to the victims and reassure the wider community of our commitment to investigating burglaries.”

Residents living in apartment blocks are reminded to be extra cautious when allowing strangers access to the building.

Properties targeted by Thompson included:

1. Empire Way, Grangetown
2. Liberty Park, Grangetown
3. The Bakery, Grangetown
4. St Stephens Mansions, Cardiff Bay
5. Cathedral Gardens, Pontcanna
6. The Old Brewery Quarter, Cardiff city centre
7. Ocean Buildings, Cardiff Bay
8. Richmond Road, Roath
9. Galleon Way, Atlantic Wharf
10. Messina House, Cardiff Bay
11. Nomad Backpackers, Adamsdown
12. Wordsworth Court, Roath
13. River Walk, Penarth
14. Millennium View, Riverside
15. Quayside, Butetown
16. Knightsbridge House, Penarth
17. The Landings, Penarth
18. Amalfi House, Butetown
19. The Boulevard, Canton
20. Limetree Mansions, Gabalfa