Wisbech: Man Burgled Murdered Woman's Home

26 June 2013, 10:38 | Updated: 26 June 2013, 11:42

A man has been jailed for ten months, for burgling the Wisbech home of a murdered pensioner.

29 year old Dainius Stelmokas, from De Havilland Road, Wisbech, forced his way into 86-year-old Una Crown's bungalow in Magazine Lane on April 4. 

Cambridgeshire Police say Mrs Crown [pictured - above] was stabbed to death and set on fire in January this year.

Once inside, Stelmokas, stole a television, stereo and portable DVD player.

A neighbour called police after spotting a plywood sheet which had been used to board up the back door of the property had been removed. Crime scene investigators discovered a fingerprint and Stelmokas was arrested on April 6. 

He admitted burglary and was jailed for 10 months at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday (June 24). 

All of the stolen property has since been found. 

Detective Constable Becky Mainwood said: "The property had been due to be released back to Mrs Crown's family a few days after the burglary actually took place. 

While it was not an active crime scene, the property was clearly boarded up for a reason and that would have been quite obvious.

However, Stelmokas chose to ignore that and decided to burgle the home in order to cash in on any valuables still in the house.

Whether he knew the owner had been murdered is unclear, however his actions have caused the family further pain at a time when they were already grieving."

Mrs Crown's body was discovered in the bungalow on Sunday, January 13 this year. 

According to Police, she had been stabbed and then set on fire to disguise her injuries and destroy evidence. 

She had not been seen alive since Friday, January 11, but had spoken to a friend by telephone at about 5pm on the Saturday. 

A £10,000 reward is being offered by independent charity Crimestoppers for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer. 

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Major Crime Unit on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

A 58 year old man, arrested on suspicion of murder following Mrs Crown's death, remains on bail until July.