Budget burglar caught red handed in Fairy Liquid at student house

The man attempting to cover his tracks was 48 year old Michael Brown


A notorious Exeter local has been jailed after breaking into a student house and failing to cover up his tracks with washing up liquid.

After attempting to clean up the evidence of the break in, Michael Brown was caught red handed inside the kitchen of the shared student house.

Brown claimed to be a new tenant when the Exeter student, who wishes to remain unnamed, discovered him.

Talking to The Tab, he said “I was by myself when I got back from town that afternoon and found him in the kitchen.

“Then I went outside in the street and called the police whilst he escaped through the back”.

Maybe he should have used Persil?

In a poor attempt to contaminate evidence and cover up his footprints, the burglar poured washing up liquid all over the floor.

Failing to get rid of his DNA from the house with Fairy Liquid, forensics managed to trace Brown’s blood to the scene.

Police also noticed smashed glass in the kitchen and suspicious specks of blood on the floor.

After being caught in December, Brown failed to appear in court and ignored his bail conditions.

Instead he decided that his wedding was more important so he escaped to Jamaica with his wife on their honeymoon.

He has since handed himself into the police after returning from the Caribbean and has been convicted at Exeter Crown Court this week.

Exeter Crown Court

The attempted robbery was an unusual experience for the student who said “He wasn’t at all aggressive towards me which is why after all I’m not that bothered by what happened, I just got scared on the spot.

“Luckily, it hasn’t affected me at all since then.”

Previous to his poor cleaning up skills, Brown has had over 100 convictions including burglaries of local homes and businesses.

However, this is not the first time that he has broken into a student house, his previous convictions also include burglary and theft from students and stealing belongings worth over £2,000.

There is evidence that the trainee cleaner also has a long-standing substance and alcohol abuse.

Brown will serve a prison sentence of 16 months.