Alleged burglar broke his leg as he ran away from scene of Ipswich break-in court hears

Police officers were on patrol in a car in the area of Graceful Reproductions in Frobisher Road, Ipswich, in the early hours of January 6 when they heard a burglar alarm, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

They looked over the road and saw two men running away from the premises and noticed that one of them was holding something, said Harry Warner, prosecuting.

The officers gave chase and moments later they found Karl Wood lying on the pavement shouting for help.

He told the officers he had broken his leg and asked them to call an ambulance.

When the officers asked how he had broken his leg he allegedly admitted breaking into Graceful Reproductions and said that some of the stolen property was behind a fence.

A number of tools taken during the burglary were allegedly found in the area he had indicated, said Mr Warner.

When asked if there were any other items Wood allegedly directed the officers to a radio which was in some grass.

“You won’t get a much clearer indication that he was involved in the burglary,” claimed Mr Warner.

Wood, 47, of Hawke Road, Ipswich, has denied burglary at Graceful Reproductions in Frobisher Road, Ipswich on January 6 and stealing a saw, a radio and a compressor.

Mr Warner told the court that Wood was taken to hospital and due to his injury he was not arrested until several weeks later.

By the time he was interviewed by the police he had allegedly changed his story and claimed he lived locally and had gone outside for a smoke when he heard the alarm at Graceful Reproductions.

He said he saw the police car and panicked and had run off.

He claimed he had jumped over a fence and broke his leg and that is when the police had arrived.

Asked about the admissions he had allegedly made to the officers he said he had been in a “bad way” and denied making the comments to them.

The trial continues.