Burglar Graham Shoebridge on the loose in London, England

Officers want to trace a 37-year-old burglar who failed to appear for his sentencing at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday 20 August. Graham Shoebridge, dob 10/11/1972, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on 22 July, where he was bailed by the court until sentencing.

Islington police were contacted in December 2009 by the family of the 79-year-old victim after Shoebridge befriended and moved in with him, and then systematically harassed and stole from him and caused damage to his home.

After the family managed to get him to leave the pensioner’s home in Crouch Hill, Shoebridge began harassing the victim and his family. Shoebridge made obscene phone calls to the victim’s elderly sister and sent offensive letters about him and his deceased partner to family members and friends.

On 17 December, the victim then came home to find his pair of antique Margot Fonteyn ballet shoes, worth approximately £40,000, and other personal items had been stolen.

During the ongoing investigation, Shoebridge travelled around the country to evade capture. He was eventually located in Torquay after being arrested for a similar offence involving a member of the LGBT community in Devon.

He was arrested on 3 June 2010 by Devon and Cornwall Police officers and charged the next day for malicious communications against both victims.

During his 70-day prison sentence, detectives from Islington interviewed Shoebridge and he made a full admission to the burglary and criminal damage. He also told police officers where the stolen Margot Fonteyn ballet shoes were and they have now been recovered.

He was charged with these offences on 21 July 2010 and appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court at the end of his prison sentence on 22 July 2010, where he pleaded guilty.

Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Julie Henderson, said: "We would urgently like to trace Graham Shoebridge, who has previously targeted members of the LGBT community. Although he is not thought to be dangerous, he is capable of doing this to someone else and we want to prevent this happening.

"This has been extremely upsetting for the victims and their families, and we want to trace him to ensure he is sentenced for these crimes. I would also ask anyone who knows anything that could help us find Shoebridge, or thinks they have previously been a victim of this type of crime, to please get in touch with us. People should be aware that he may be using a different alias."

Anyone with information about this should contact the police on 0300 123 1212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.