Burglar disturbed in Scarborough flat using victim's laptop, eating his food and wearing his clothes - even his underwear
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Konrad Kuprasz, 24, was sitting on the man’s bed, casually browsing on his computer when the startled victim returned to his flat in Scarborough in the middle of the afternoon, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Kelly Sherif said Kuprasz had been inside the flat for over eight hours, during which he had cooked himself some food, helped himself to drinks of Red Bull, showered, slept in the victim’s bed and even found time for a spot of vacuuming and “carpentry”.
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Hide AdHe’d also had a smoke inside the flat and did some housework while wearing the victim’s trainers and baseball cap.
When the victim asked the brass-necked intruder, ‘What’s going on?’, Kuprasz replied: ‘Open or broken.’
“(The victim) asked him why he was there, and the defendant replied, ‘I go to sleep,’” added Ms Sherif.
“Upon searching the flat, it is apparent to (the victim) that the defendant had treated the (property) as if it were his own.”
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Hide AdKuprasz had also left his dirty laundry next to the victim’s washing machine after removing his own clothes and trying on the victim’s.
The victim believed that Kuprasz had also stolen items from the flat including cutlery knives and £150 cash.
Police were called out and Kuprasz, a Polish immigrant, was arrested.
He was said to be “calm and co-operative” with officers.
He admitted that he had used the flat “as if it were his own” and had “Hoovered and done some carpentry”.
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Hide AdKuprasz, of no fixed address, had broken in by damaging a door lock after the victim left the flat in the early hours of the morning.
Police found a rucksack in the hallway in which they found tools.
Kuprasz admitted they were his and claimed that he was a “carpenter and locksmith”.
He was charged with burglary and immediately owned up to the offence.
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Hide AdHe appeared for sentence via video link on Wednesday, accompanied by a Polish interpreter.
Ms Sherif said the “bizarre” incident occurred on August 13 – when Kuprasz was on prison licence following a previous conviction for burglary.
The victim had left his property at about 5.45am and locked both the door to his flat and the communal-entrance door.
“On returning at 4.50pm, he noticed the door lock to his flat had been damaged,” said Ms Sherif.
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Hide Ad“Upon entering, he found the defendant inside the living room.
"He was sat on the edge of (the victim’s) bed, using his laptop.
“(The victim) noticed that the clothing that the defendant was wearing were in fact his.
"He also noticed that the defendant was wearing his trainers and new baseball cap.
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Hide Ad"(Kuprasz) was later found also to be wearing (the victim’s) underwear.”
Kuprasz told police he was homeless and had broken into the flat “because he had to survive”.
The victim said he no longer felt safe in his flat and that he had “hardly left my home”.
“Stress and anger overwhelmed me once I noticed the offender found my 76-year-old and 84-year-old parents’ house keys,” he added.
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Hide Ad“He acted like my home and belongings were his to do with as he pleases.
"He looked through my personal and private information, he showered, slept in my bed, drank and ate food and tried on multiple clothing, leaving me feeling like my life and personal space had been invaded.”
The victim, who has multiple serious health conditions, had to take time off work to deep-clean his home and had seen his doctor about anxiety and stress.
He said the psychological trauma of “catching a criminal in my home” had left him with no option but to move out.
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Hide AdKuprasz had two previous convictions including one in March for burgling a shed in which he had slept and stolen an item.
He was given a short prison sentence for that offence and released on licence but was then convicted of criminal damage in April.
Steven Garth, mitigating, said Kuprasz came to the UK about 17 months ago with the aim of trying to find work, but without success.
“He was penniless to the point that even feeding himself was a daily struggle,” added Mr Garth.
“He turned to crime to rectify this.”
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Hide AdJudge Sean Morris described the incident as “utterly bizarre” and a “dreadful violation of (the victim’s) privacy”.
“The (victim) is traumatised as anyone would be when returning to their home to find a stranger there, (acting) as if he owned the place,” added Mr Morris.
“He is now going to have to move, and his life has been turned upside down.”
Jailing Kuprasz for two years and two months, the judge told him he would be recommending to the Home Office that he be deported upon his release from prison halfway through his sentence.