Serial burglar jailed after spate of commercial break-ins across Surrey and London

A prolific burglar who targeted salons and food businesses during late-night break-ins across Surrey and neighbouring London boroughs, has been jailed for 18 months. 

Steven Hale (DOB: 26/01/1983), 43, of Sutton, was convicted of 16 non-dwelling burglaries after carrying out a spree of offences in the early hours of the morning. Hale forced entry to businesses using a crowbar, stealing cash from tills and tip jars and causing damage and disruption to local premises. 

Following his arrest, Hale admitted to six burglaries committed in Surrey during August 2025, as well as driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without third-party insurance. In a later interview, he admitted a further 10 business burglaries, nine of which took place across London boroughs and one in Epsom. 

During two evenings in August, Hale, wearing a balaclava, targeted a number of food outlets and boutiques across Epsom and Banstead. Police were contacted by staff arriving for work to discover premises had been broken into and cash stolen. 

A review of CCTV footage showed Hale wearing the same clothing during both nights of offending. When officers searched Hale’s address following his arrest, they recovered the clothing seen in the footage, along with a crowbar and a screwdriver. 

Hale pleaded guilty to 16 counts of burglary (non-dwelling), possession of Class A drugs (heroin and cocaine), driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance. On Friday, 6 February 2026, at Guildford Crown Court, he was sentenced to a total of 18 months’ imprisonment, with the offences ordered to run concurrently. He was also given six penalty points for the driving offences and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187. 

Detective Inspector Ball, from the Eastern Proactive Team said: “These offences caused disruption to a number of local businesses, and we know the impact this type of crime can have on owners and staff. Our focus is on identifying those responsible and gathering the evidence needed to bring offenders to justice. We would continue to urge business owners to review their security measures, report any suspicious activity, and contact us as soon as possible if they have concerns.”