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July 1, 2014

On-the-run burglar wrote to newspaper to correct mistake – but declined to disclose his current address ‘for obvious reasons’

By William Turvill

An on-the-run criminal appears to have written to the Sheffield Star to correct a “mistake” made by police in an appeal for information.

Darrell Burbeary, a convicted burglar, has been missing from Moorland Open Prison in Doncaster for 11 days.

South Yorkshire Police said in an appeal for information on his whereabouts that they believed he could be heading towards his home in Heeley.

But Burbeary, 43, wrote to The Star to tell them: “You wrote a statement about me saying my home roots were Heeley.

“You couldn’t be further from the truth.

“My home roots are the Manor estate of Sheffield.”

He told the paper in a letter that he could not disclose his current address “for obvious reasons”, but did provide his number – before thinking better of it and scribbling it out.

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Although he did write above this: “If you do any more write-ups about this please contact me…

“Any doubts you may have, I will correct you. So please do not hesitate to phone me.”

The newspaper passed the letter on to South Yorkshire Police.

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