A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison after a tiny speck of blood found inside a motorhome in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, linked him to a series of high-value thefts. The DNA evidence was discovered following a break-in at a business on Grindon Way on August 22, 2025.
During that incident, Lee Harris broke into a vehicle but was unable to start the engine and drive it away. He caused what investigators called irreparable damage by ripping both front seats from the floor before leaving the scene.
Forensic experts from Durham Constabulary examined the interior and found a small drop of blood on a cushion. This provided the DNA match needed for police to identify Harris, who is from Stockton-on-Tees, as the person responsible.
The sentencing at York Crown Court also covered the theft of an £85,000 motorhome from an elderly couple in North Yorkshire. According to reports, Harris was part of a gang that used false number plates and an angle grinder to steal the expensive vehicle.
The gang was eventually caught following a police chase across the North York Moors after the vehicle was tracked using GPS technology. Harris has now been jailed for a total of seven years and four months for his role in the crimes.
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