A man who attempted to break into a home in Widnes has been jailed for two years.
At around 12.30am on Monday 21 September two men attempted to break into an address on Halebank Road via an insecure rear window.
The homeowners were asleep in bed at the time of the incident but were woken by their dog barking.
At the time they didn’t think anything of it and went back to sleep.
However, the following morning they decided to look at their CCTV footage and found images of two men attempting to access their home before fleeing the scene empty handed.
The incident was reported to officers at Widnes Beat Initiative Team who launched an investigation and shared the images with neighbouring forces in a bid to identify the pair.
As a result an officer from Merseyside police positively identified one of the suspects as 29-year-old Michael Miller.
Following the identification officers made a number of attempts to arrest Miller but he became evasive in an attempt to avoid justice.
Following repeated arrest attempts officers decided to appeal to the public in a bid to trace him. He was subsequently located by officers in Merseyside in a Taxi on Queens Drive, Liverpool, on Monday 21 December.
Miller was arrested at the scene and later charged with attempted burglary.
He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday 12 February where he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Miller, of Eversley, Widnes, was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay £156 victims surcharge.
Following the sentencing Police Constable Chris Bosward, who led the investigation, said: “This is a fantastic result and I hope it provides reassurance to the local community and some closure to the victims.
“While the offenders were unsuccessful in their attempts to break into the address, to go through such an experience is extremely traumatic and it can have lasting repercussions.
“Throughout the investigation Miller has done all could in his failed attempts to avoid justice, but as a result of our determination and partnership work with neighbouring forces he is now facing the consequences of his actions.
“I would like to take this as an opportunity thank all those who came forward and provided information during the investigation and helped us to locate Miller.”
Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane added: “I would like to thank all of the officers involved in this case for their dedication and hard work.
“Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home – to be a victim of burglary or attempted burglary is a deeply upsetting experience.
“I hope that the outcome of the investigation provides reassurance to residents in Widnes and also acts as a warning to anyone looking to commit such crimes.”
