EL CAJON (CNS) - A woman who broke into homes in East County and stole items from people's front yards over a two-year period, including Christmas time, was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 23 years in state prison.
Martha Lampley, 37, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to residential burglary and other counts and admitted a prior burglary conviction. Lampley's criminal record dates back to 2008, said Deputy District Attorney Matthew Carberry.
"Miss Lampley's major crimes in this case were clearly residential burglaries," the prosecutor told City News Service. "She was entering into people's homes, stealing items from them, as of course you know that she was stealing from people's front yards around Christmas time, which brought this case to light."
Carberry said the victims he contacted were happy that the case was resolved.
"(The defendant) was such a menace out there, taking everybody's items," the prosecutor said. "They were happy that she wouldn't be able to do this again for a long period of time."
Lampley was out of custody on bail after being charged with a February 2013 commercial burglary when she committed the break-ins in Spring Valley, Lemon Grove and unincorporated El Cajon, Carberry said.
Home surveillance video provided by one of the victims led to Lampley being re-arrested late last year, and investigators tracked down stolen mail in a rented storage unit.