A BURGLAR who criss-crossed England and Wales raiding 517 churches over nine months - including two in Malton - has been jailed for four years.
Christopher Coulthard, 40, was carrying £2,450 when he was eventually caught in Aberystwyth, west Wales, last September after a local cleric reported him to police, Swansea Crown Court heard.
Coulthard admitted 15 cases of burglary and one of attempted burglary and asked for 502 others to be taken into account.
The court heard how Coulthard targeted charity boxes and safes escaping with up to £600 a time. Police found maps listing churches with terms like "rich pickings," implying they were ripe for a second attempt.
Judge Manning-Davies said pre-sentence reports showed that Coulthard had been a burglar since he was 13.
Updated: 11:03 Saturday, January 04, 2003
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