Thieves Use Fake Social Media Profiles to Burglarize House, Face Justice

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A brazen burglary unfolded in December when two men used fake social media profiles to deceive a woman into leaving her home. Francis Constantine and Jonjo Swaine, who had been in communication with the woman regarding a car seat on Facebook Marketplace, arranged to meet at the property to complete the transaction. However, upon arrival, they instead broke into the house, where they were confronted by the seller's 13-year-old daughter. Constantine brandished a knife and threatened the girl, while Swaine stole a motocross bike from the premises. The duo escaped with the loot but were later caught by Cheshire Police through evidence from Facebook, automatic number plate recognition, and telecommunications. They appeared in Chester Crown Court on June 9, where Constantine received a 10-year custodial sentence and Swaine received a 30-month prison term.

Key Takeaways:

  • Francis Constantine and Jonjo Swaine used fake social media profiles to deceive a woman into leaving her home.
  • The duo broke into the house, where they were confronted by the seller's 13-year-old daughter.
  • Constantine brandished a knife and threatened the girl, while Swaine stole a motocross bike from the premises.
  • The thieves escaped with the loot but were later caught by Cheshire Police.
  • The investigation utilized evidence from Facebook, automatic number plate recognition, and telecommunications.
  • Constantine received a 10-year custodial sentence, while Swaine received a 30-month prison term.
  • The case highlights the importance of bravery and quick-thinking in preventing and solving crimes.
  • Detective Constable Emma Donaldson attributed the success of the investigation to the bravery of the victim and the work of the Ellesmere Port CID team.

Statistics:

  • 2: The number of perpetrators involved in the burglary.
  • 1: The number of November months prior to the December burglary.
  • 27: The age of Francis Constantine at the time of the incident.
  • 22: The age of Jonjo Swaine at the time of the incident.
  • 10: The number of years of the custodial sentence received by Constantine.
  • 3: The number of years on licence that Constantine will serve after his release.
  • 30: The number of months of the prison term received by Swaine.
  • 1: The number of days on which the perpetrators appeared in court for sentencing.

Sources:

  • [No source provided in the original text]
  • However, based on the content of the article, it can be inferred that the primary source of the information is Cheshire Police, as evidenced by the quotation from Detective Constable Emma Donaldson.