A getaway driver who was caught after two hospital visitors noticed his distinctive car parked near the scene of a £4,000 house burglary was jailed for two years.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Jamie Hallam, 28, of Garrett Square, Whetstone, Leics, was part of a four man burglary team that targeted a home opposite Grantham Hospital after driving to the area from Leicestershire.
The court was told two hospital visitors took down the registration number of Hallam’s distinctive white Audi after they spotted it parked up with it’s engine still running.
Phil Howes, prosecuting, told the court one of the visitors was leaving the hospital when they noticed two men coming out of a nearby close with property stuffed under their clothing.
Mr Howes said: “The two men then met up with the white Audi which sped away.”
When a resident in Langford Gardens opposite the hospital returned from work she found her home was ransacked and property valued at £4,000 had been stolen.
The missing items included Christmas presents, an ipod, a lap top computer and sentimental photos, videos and work material.
In her victim impact statement which was read out in court the woman described how she felt “sick” when she turned her front door key and realised she had been burgled.
Police searched an address in Garrett Square, Whetstone, Leics, where Hallam was staying and seized his car after the two witnesses took down his front number plate.
An ipod which was wrapped up to be given as a Christmas present and some currency which had been stolen from the burglary in Grantham were also found.
The court heard Garrett denied the burglary and failed to appear at Lincoln Crown Court when he was due to stand trial in July this year.
Garrett later admitted being the getaway driver for the burglary to pay off a drug debt but denied entering the house.
He pleaded guilty to the burglary which happened on 12 December last year and also admitted a further charge of failing to appear in court.
Passing sentence Judge Michael Heath told him: “You and another three people drove to Grantham from Leicester in your vehicle, you provided the wheels.
“A day time burglary took place and the cost of the items taken was around £4,000.”