Ronald Ivan Reid: Fingerprints catch out foul-mouthed thief

An Illawarra man’s brazen home robbery has come unstuck thanks to some good old-fashioned detective work.

A Bellambi man who ransacked a home last month cursed “for f**** sake” as the matter began to be dealt with in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.

Ronald Ivan Reid appeared via video link to plead guilty to breaking and entering into a Gwynneville abode last month and stealing property to the value of less than $60,000.

The burglary unfolded on Crawford St, Gwynneville, on Wednesday, July 27 between 9am and 7pm when the house’s three occupants were out for work.

Reid broke into a locked bedroom in the house and stole $5000 in cash as well as an iPad mini from one of the victims.

The thief also trawled through the rest of the house, nicking more than $5000 worth of Sony camera equipment and a $1000 Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Ronald Ivan Reid pleaded to the break and enter on Wednesday. Picture: Facebook

One of the residents returned home and alerted police who were able to do a thorough fingerprint and DNA analysis of the scene the following morning.

The detectives picked up fingerprints throughout the home including on the bedroom door frames and drawers that had been rummaged around in.

The fingerprints matched Reid’s.

On Saturday evening, police attended St Vincent‘s Hospital in Sydney where Reid was arrested.

He denied any involvement in the break and enter, however, two hours later at Kings Cross Police Station he told police “I did it” though he could not recall pinching the iPad – despite the presence of his fingerprints.

Reid will remain in custody ahead of his sentencing in September.