POLICE are appealing to residents in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire to help trace a convicted burglar who has been sentenced to seven years in prison but has been missing for six months.

David Benyon, 24, of Compton Road, Cheltenham, absconded from Worcester Crown Court on July 24 last year, the day before he was convicted for conspiracy to burgle.

He was convicted in connection to a ram raid in Broadway at 3am on May 5 2009 in which a stolen Land Rover Discovery was used to smash into the Nisa store on Bibsworth Avenue and a cashpoint machine was stolen.

The conviction included burglary, theft of a Land Rover, attempted theft of a second Land Rover, robbery and theft of a disc cutter. He was sentenced in his absence on August 20.

Police believe he is still in the local area, particularly in Evesham or Cheltenham where he has links.

He is white, 5ft 9ins tall, of average build and has short, light brown hair West Mercia Police Detective Inspector Carl Moore, who is leading the search, said Benyon had been at large for too long.

“It is time for him to face justice,” he said.

“In his greed to take cash from the Nisa ATM he caused severe structural damage to the shop totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds after he stole a local resident’s 4x4, writing it off in the raid.

“We are also concerned that he may be committing further crimes across South Worcestershire and Gloucestershire so we need to arrest him as soon as possible.

“Officers have been actively pursuing a number of leads on Benyon’s whereabouts, so far without success.”

Anyone who spots Benyon is advised not to approach him but to call 999 immediately.

Anyone with any information can contact Gloucestershire or West Mercia Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.