A Norfolk man has been sentenced to serve over a year in prison after he was caught on video breaking into cars parked on the Old Dominion University (ODU) campus. Derek William Britton, 32, pleaded guilty to felony credit card theft and several misdemeanor charges related to theft and vehicle tampering.
According to police, Britton targeted three vehicles in mid-March, breaking into them on different days—March 15, 16, and 19. He stole electronics, tools, and other valuables, including wallets containing credit cards, cash, and IDs. The incidents happened in various locations across the ODU campus, including parking spots on 43rd and 45th streets.
Using video surveillance from a parking garage and nearby buildings, ODU police were able to identify Britton’s actions and his vehicle. A BOLO alert was issued with Britton’s description, and on March 22, an ODU officer spotted his car parked outside a campus restaurant. After confirming Britton’s identity as the person seen in the surveillance videos, the officer arrested him. The police recovered many of the stolen items from Britton’s car during the arrest.
Britton faced several charges, including felony credit card theft, three counts of misdemeanor larceny, and three counts of vehicle tampering. He accepted a plea agreement to serve one year and two months in prison, with an additional one year and 10 months suspended, conditional upon good behavior for three years and compliance with probation for two years after his release.
In a statement, Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi commended ODU Police’s investigative work. “Too many people have their belongings stolen from their cars. While it is difficult to catch the people who are doing the stealing and many go uncaught, high-quality cameras and good police work allowed the Old Dominion University Police Department to solve these cases,” Fatehi said. He expressed hope that Britton will use his time in custody to prepare for a more positive future post-release.