A BURGLAR smashed his way into a Hampshire marketing agency, leaving the company with a £20,000 insurance bill.

Delton Sutherland used stones to smash a window before removing thousand of pounds worth of computer equipment, belonging to Fair Oak-based marketing firm 21 Six Limited.

But police were able to identify Sutherland through a clear CCTV image, taken as he attempted to tape up the cameras.

Officers also checked the tape that Sutherland left behind in order to secure a DNA match.

Now the 38-year-old has been jailed for more than two years.

Southampton Crown Court was told how on September 25 last year, Sutherland targeted 21 Six Limited – a marketing firm whose client list includes restaurant chain Wagamama, The Ageas Bowl and Hampshire charity the Murray Parish Trust.

At around 9.45pm, Sutherland drove his vehicle into Vicarage Farm Business Park, where the firm are based.

Prosecutor Keely Harvey said how the father-of-two smashed a glass window to access the building.

He then stole computer equipment, including expensive iMac computers.

Ms Harvey said the total loss the company, including damage, totalled almost £20,000 – of which only £16,000 has been recovered through insurance.

Reading from a victim impact statement, Ms Harvey said it had taken company almost a month to recover from the break-in, which had also left staff fearing for the future of the firm and their jobs.

Ms Harvey added that employees had also been reluctant to work late due to the fear of being attacked.

In mitigation, Ciara McElvogue said Sutherland had returned to offending following the murder of his brother, who had left the family with a significant drug debt.

She added that Sutherland himself had suffered from drug addiction.

Ms McElvogue pleaded with Judge Marcus Pilgerstorfer not to impose a custodial sentence and instead offer a drug rehabilitation programme.

But judge Pilgerstorfer said the burglary, committed while on a suspended sentence for another burglary, crossed the custody threshold.

He said: “This was a nasty and pre-planed burglary of computer equipment.

“You took it without a moments thought of the affects, not only on the owners but those who worked there as well.”

Sutherland, of Chalvey Park, Slough, was sentenced to a total of 25 months – at least half of which he will spend in prison – after admitting the burglary and breaching a suspended sentence.