Teen burglar who broke into Leeds City Museum during £10,000 thieving spree spared jail

Simon Kubalik carried out a thieving spree during the summer after his mother died from cancer, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 18-year-old first broke into the café at the museum on Millennium Square on July 9, taking £50 worth of drinks and confectionery.

In the early hours of August 23 he broke into a flat at The Ice Works on New York Street.

The occupant woke to find more than £7,900 worth of items stolen including a bicycle, X-Box, cameras, an iPhone, cash and a passport.

CCTV showed a figure entering the building, and then cycling away on the stolen bike along with a rucksack full of items.

Kubalik then entered a property on Blayds Yard with an accomplice on the morning of August 27, but was challenged by one of three females living there. He ran out after stealing items including a £3,500 watch.

Hours later he tried using a bank card stolen from the property to buy a phone, but was declined. He was identified on an ID parade after being arrested.

Some items taken from the property on Blayds Yard and The Ice Works were found after a search of his home, along with bags of cocaine.

He admitted two counts of dwelling burglaries, one non-dwelling burglary, possession of cocaine and fraud.

Kubalik, of Woodview Terrace, Beeston, has nine convictions for 21 offences.

Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said Kubalik had been “honest and forthright” about his offending and was experiencing what Kubalik described as “big man’s jail” for the first time, having being held on remand.

He said he was now drug free but was unable to process the loss of his mother earlier this year. He added: “He has struggled to come to terms with it. It led to his life spiralling out of control and he committed crime. He is ashamed of his actions.”

The judge, Recorder Anthony Kelbrick gave him 16 months’ jail but said he was “just persuaded” to suspended the sentence, which he did for 24 months.

He also told him to take part in 50 rehabilitation days, a 12-month drug rehabilitation programme, and wear an electronic tag for four months.