We suspect that most people dream of coming home from work to find a cooked meal waiting for them and all their household chores completed. A thoughtful partner, you might think? Not if you live alone.
Damian Wojnilowicz has been jailed for 22 months after doing just that in the homes of strangers. The court heard that Wojnilowicz was homeless and undergoing “a number of challenges”. He had a history of common assault, public order offences and failing to surrender.
On 16th July, Wojnilowicz broke into a woman’s home where he proceeded to hang the washing out on the line and then continued through the home carrying out the housework. Recyling bins were emptied and shopping put away, bird feeders were refilled, plant pots moved, new toothbrush heads fitted, floors mopped clean and a new pair of shoes taken out of their packaging which was then put in the recycling container. He replaced kitchen utensils with new ones bought by the victim, putting the original ones in the bin, and took items from her store cupboard to cook a meal which was left on the hob. A bottle of wine had been drunk and put back empty on the wine rack, while another bottle of red wine had been left next to a glass and bottle opener, together with a bowl of sweets.
Wojnilowicz left her a note which read “don’t worry, be happy, eat up and scratch.”
On 29th July, Wojnilowicz was seen on a second victim’s CCTV walking around on the driveway, appearing drunk and carrying a glass. The male home owner’s son-in-law attended the property and asked him to leave. It was found that Wojnilowicz had used the summerhouse shower to wash his clothes and left a dirty hot tub where food and drink had been consumed.
Wojnilowicz was arrested after the second burglary, and admitted two counts of burglary.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how the victims had been left feeling “sick, horrified and useless” and in a “state of heightened anxiety I had never experienced before”. The female victim said she now wanted to move house and was “hyperconscious” about security. She said: “I wondered if it was somebody who knew me, if it was going to turn into a stalking incident, if he knew I lived alone and if I had been targeted. I was too scared to stay in my own home and stayed with a friend.”
Suffering a burglary is a traumatic experience, whatever the circumstances. Not only is there a financial cost to fixing damaged entry points or replacing stolen items, there is the emotional impact after someone has been inside your property. Police.uk has lots of free advice on protecting your home from crime, including how you can make home security improvements to reduce the likelihood of your property being targeted.