A prolific burglar with a criminal record spanning over four decades has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison for a spree of burglaries in the City of London that netted nearly £20,000 in electronic equipment. Neville Stanbury, 58, pleaded guilty to seven burglaries, one attempted burglary, and breaching a criminal behavior order.
Stanbury targeted offices, barristers' chambers, and financial firms between December 2025 and April of this year, stealing items including laptops, iPads, and iPhones. The total value of the stolen goods was £19,570. His activities continued despite a ten-year criminal behavior order imposed in 2022, which banned him from entering the City of London until 2031. This order was a consequence of a previous burglary campaign where he stole approximately £40,000 worth of equipment.
During his arrest, Stanbury showed indifference to the charges. When questioned by police, he reportedly said, "I probably done them, so what?" and "If you are telling me I did it then I did it." He also made an offensive remark to officers, stating, "You are lucky that I'm not grooming girls."
Prosecutors presented CCTV footage that showed Stanbury carrying out the burglaries, often recognizable by a distinctive green cap. Among the businesses targeted were recruitment agency GH Engage, gym Roar Fitness, insurer Zego, finance company VFX Financial, and technology firm Wavenet. He also broke into barristers' chambers at Inner Temple, a location where he was already known due to past offenses.
Stanbury's defense attorney attributed his actions to a long-standing heroin addiction, noting that such addictions are difficult to overcome without professional help. He suggested Stanbury's "churlishness in interview" stemmed from self-disappointment.
However, Judge Christopher Hehir emphasized that repeated opportunities for reform had been unsuccessful. The judge noted Stanbury's history of failing to adhere to community-based sentences and his "truculent and confrontational approach to authority figures." The judge pointed out that Stanbury's addiction was a clear background to his offending but stressed personal responsibility, stating, "No one puts a gun to your head and forces you to go out burgling."
Stanbury's criminal history dates back to 1984, and he has prior convictions for burglary and theft across London. He was previously jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2016 for a burglary campaign that stole £32,000 worth of property, and in 2002 for stealing laptops from barristers' chambers. He had previously claimed in court in 2022 that he was not a high-level criminal, distinguishing himself from figures involved in high-profile heists.