A 29-year-old man who stole from former Ipswich Town star Mick Lambert has been put behind bars for half a decade.
Luke Stuttard, of Hogarth Road, Ipswich, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of burglary and admitting to a further 12 offences – including breaking into Mr Lambert’s house.
Over the course of just one month, Stuttard made off with £60,000 worth of items, including a car, television and jewellery stolen from the former Town star’s home in Sandringham Close on Friday, January 18.
Stuttard broke into Mr Lambert’s property by smashing a door, and stole a number of items including a Ford Fiesta, a 47-inch plasma screen TV and a haul of irreplaceable, sentimental jewellery.
The former Blues star, 68, and his wife Margaret, 65, had left their home the previous day to see the World Bowls Championships at Potters Resort at Hopton, on the Norfolk coast.
Speaking shortly after the burglary, Mr Lambert said: “We knew we were in trouble the moment we got back because the car was missing from the drive.
“If we were off on holiday, we would have hidden some things but it was only an overnight stay – they didn’t have to beat the place up to find everything.”
It was initially thought that his treasured FA Cup medal had also been stolen, but it was later found at the property.
Stuttard was arrested on Thursday, January 24 in connection with an incident in Medway Road, and was subsequently charged with burglary.
Between being charged and dealt with at court, he chose to work with officers from Suffolk police, and went on to admit 12 other offences believed to have taken place between January 3 and January 23 – including the burglary of Mr Lambert’s home.
In total, more than £60,000 worth of items were stolen and in the region of £14,000 worth of damage was caused.
Stuttard was sentenced to five years behind bars and ordered to pay a £170 victim surcharge.
DC Duncan Etchells, from the Operation Converter team, said: “Burglary is a clear invasion of people’s homes and their personal space and it can be very upsetting and distressing for the victims.
“Hopefully, this sentence given in this case will provide some peace of mind to Stuttard’s victims and also act as a deterrent to other would-be burglars.”
Mr Lambert appeared in more than 200 games for Ipswich Town between 1968 and 1979 under the management of Sir Bobby Robson, and played alongside greats such as Kevin Beattie, Clive Woods and Mick Mills.
He came on as a substitute for Roger Osborne in the 1978 FA Cup Final, when Ipswich beat Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley.
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