A CONVICTED thief and fraudster has been found guilty of burgling a house.

David Solomon denied the charge, from June 5 this year, and told magistrates an elaborate story to explain why he was in the house.

Solomon, of Kimmeridge Road, Cumnor, claimed he met a man in the car pack of Tesco Express in Botley who offered a chance for him to earn some money.

When giving evidence at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, he said: “I had no money in my bank account and I was angry as I had to get to an appointment and needed money to fill up my car. This man asked me what was wrong and said if I took his laptop he could claim a new one on the insurance. He said the number for the key safe was 1, 2, 3, 4, and the laptop would be upstairs.

“I was given permission to go to the house and take the laptop.”

Solomon admitted accessing the key safe box and taking the laptop from the house in Pinnocks Way, Cumnor, before selling it for £30 to the Cell Phone Repairs shop in Temple Square.

John Chappell, prosecuting, said: “This is a bizarre case.

“A man goes to take cash out and is approached by somebody who says ‘burgle my house’.”

He added: “The story he has given lacks credibility.”

He will be sentenced for the burglary and another 11 offences, including five frauds where he pretended to be a charity collector, a theft from an 83-year-old woman, four thefts from shops and going equipped for theft, at Oxford Crown Court.

Solomon was remanded in custody and will next appear at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday, December 17.