Watch: Police catch burglar hiding in a loft in Stechford

A violent burglar who police found hiding in a loft in Stechford after he went on the run has been jailed.

Scott Taylor was sentenced to eight years and 10 months in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday (12 Oct) for a nasty burglary in which the homeowner was stabbed in the leg

His arrest was a result of an anonymous call made to West Midlands Police after the force issued an appeal to locate Taylor, 31, who broke into a home in Felton Croft in Kitts Green, late on 26 April.

A man in his 50s was upstairs when he heard someone forcing their way in and looked out of his bedroom window to see four people at the front door.

As he walked downstairs, the man was struck across the kneecap with a knife. Taylor and the men then made off in a Volvo along with several electronic items.

Officers got to work straight away and carried out a forensic examination of the home in Felton Croft the following day.

They found a mobile phone belonging to the man discarded on a road nearby thanks to a tracking app, which was submitted to forensics, and recovered a fingerprint on the device matching Taylor.

Officers also matched forensics and fingerprints from the lock that fell off the door at Priestland Road to Taylor.

Having collected more evidence, attempts were made to arrest Taylor but he went on the run.

Police put out a wanted appeal on their social media channels and this led to an anonymous call on his whereabouts. Taylor was found by officers hiding in the loft of an address on Folliott Road in Stechford.

Scott Taylor, of Folliott Road, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and attempted aggravated burglary and was handed eight years and 10 months in prison.

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