AN IPSWICH man who was stopped by police as he pushed a wheelie bin containing stolen goods along an Ipswich street at night has been found guilty of burglary.

AN IPSWICH man who was stopped by police as he pushed a wheelie bin containing stolen goods along an Ipswich street at night has been found guilty of burglary.

Jamie Skippings, 34, of Grimwade Street, Ipswich had denied being involved in the break-in at a house in Cecil Road, Ipswich and claimed he had been visiting friends in nearby Geneva Road at the time.

However a jury at Ipswich Crown Court rejected Skippings' story and found him guilty of burglary after a short trial.

Judge John Devaux adjourned sentence until next month for a pre-sentence report.

During the trial the court heard that among the items stolen from the house in Cecil Road were binoculars, jewellery, tools, groceries, documents, bags and glassware.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting said the owner of the house had returned home at 8.15pm on March 17 to find the lights on in her three-bedroom home.

She initially thought her sister had called in but quickly realised she had been burgled when she saw papers strewn around her sitting room.

Upstairs all three bedrooms had been searched and drawers “ransacked”, said Mr Crimp.

The woman, who is retired, called the police and shortly afterwards police officers saw Skippings and another man, who has admitted being involved in the burglary, pushing a wheelie bin from Barrack Corner into St Matthew's Street.

The officers approached the two men and in the wheelie bin they discovered the proceeds from the burglary in Cecil Road which had taken place minutes earlier, said Mr Crimp.

Giving evidence Skippings denied taking part in the burglary and claimed he had parted company with the man who committed the burglary for about 15 minutes to visit a friend in nearby Geneva Road.

He said that when he met up with the man again he was standing with the wheelie bin containing the stolen goods.

Skippings admitted telling lies to the police after his arrest but claimed that he was covering up for the other man.