Bus driver leads police to burglar who fled after confronting woman in her home

He was having a break when he caught him in action

A bus driver tracked down a burglar after he forced his way into a woman's home.

Kelvin Briggs climbed over a garden fence in broad daylight before forcing his way through a set of patio doors and confronting the woman in her kitchen.

Unbeknown to the 48-year-old he’d been spotted scaling the fence in by a bus driver who was taking a break.

The driver spotted Briggs outside the address in Middleton Boulevard, Lenton, at around 9.30am on Thursday, March 10 and immediately called the police.

Inside the property, and out of sight of the driver, Briggs demanded cash from his victim and the keys to her car.

However, after hearing the approaching sirens he fled the area with only five pounds in cash.

As the bus driver began to follow Briggs he remained in contact with the police control room and was later able to direct officers to a neighbour’s garden where he was found hiding.

Briggs, of London Road, Nottingham, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, September 10 after admitting an offence of burglary.

He was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for two years and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Detective Constable Steven Willetts, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This was a horrible experience for the victim who had the terrible shock of finding a stranger in her own home.

"This kind of intrusive burglary can have a lasting impact on victims and will always warrant an immediate police response.

"On this occasion we were greatly assisted by the calm and measured actions of a bus driver who spotted Briggs climbing over the fence. His actions undoubtedly brought this incident to a very early conclusion and prevented it from escalating any further.

"We’d never suggest that any member of the public put themselves at risk by confronting an offender so I’d like to thank this man for responding in such a calm and measured way."