From the East
Grinstead Echo
Notorious
burglar Vince ‘The Cat’ Lifter was arrested on Monday morning when a security
guard found him wedged in the ventilation shaft in Carpet World, where it
turned out he had been all weekend. He had become stuck trying to break through
into the Cash Converters next door after forgetting to make allowances for his
backpack.
Vince had
only recently been released from prison after serving two years for the theft
of a pair of £1000 hand-made leather trousers belonging to a well-known politician.
In his defence he claimed that he was going to sell them and redistribute the
money to the local homeless. He was only caught because the politician who
owned the trousers was wearing them at the time.
Born in
East Grinstead as Richard Lifter, he changed his name by deed poll to Vince (after a
beloved uncle) as he felt Dick Lifter created entirely the wrong impression for
one embarking on a serious life of crime.
Vince
claimed there is no truth in the rumour that he was caught on purpose as he had
become rather fond of the prison chaplain.
