Joseph McGrath Charged After Toxteth Jewellery Theft 2026

Key Points

• A man from Anfield has been charged with burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal.
• The man faces a charge following the burglary of a house in Devonshire Road, Toxteth.
• The jewellery and an Apple watch were taken from the house.
• The owner of the house came back to his house at 12.20am on 27 August to discover that the items had been stolen the previous day.
• According to Merseyside Police, the combination of forensic evidence, witness statements and CCTV investigation enabled the arrest of the accused.
• The suspect who has been charged is Joseph McGrath, 62, of Lower Breck Road, Anfield.
• He was remanded in custody until his appearance before the Wirral Magistrates’ Court on 16 September.
• Merseyside Police has asked the public to come forward with any information, CCTV and doorbell camera footage concerning any burglary or suspicious behaviour.
• This can be done through social media, calling 101 or the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers.
• The emergency number is 999.

Toxteth (Liverpool standard) September 16, 2026 – An Anfield man has been charged following a reported burglary at a house on Devonshire Road, Toxteth, during which jewellery and an Apple Watch were allegedly stolen.

The charge relates to an incident reported after the occupant returned home at 12.20am on 27 August. According to the report published by Birkenhead News, the resident found that several items of jewellery and a watch had been taken from the property the previous day.

The details released do not state the exact time at which the burglary took place. They also do not provide a total value for the stolen property or specify how the alleged offender entered the house.

Merseyside Police said its investigation included a forensic examination of the scene, enquiries with witnesses and a review of CCTV footage. These lines of enquiry led officers to identify and arrest Joseph McGrath, aged 62, of Lower Breck Road, Anfield.

McGrath was later charged with burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal. The charge is an allegation, and the case is now before the courts. Any evidence presented during future proceedings will be considered through the judicial process.

Who has been charged?

Joseph McGrath, 62, of Lower Breck Road, Anfield, has been charged with burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal.

The report published by Birkenhead News does not name the investigating officer or include a statement from a solicitor representing McGrath. It also does not report any response from the defendant concerning the allegation.

McGrath was arrested after Merseyside Police carried out forensic, witness and CCTV enquiries in connection with the reported burglary. Police then charged him and remanded him into custody.

The available report does not say whether any of the jewellery or the Apple Watch had been recovered. It also does not give further details about the circumstances of the arrest.

When will the case be heard?

McGrath was remanded in custody to appear at Wirral Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 16 September.

The report does not provide the time of the hearing or explain what happened at the initial appearance. It also does not give information about any plea, bail decision or future court date.

As the proceedings are ongoing, the allegation should not be treated as a proven offence unless and until it is established in court. The charge concerns burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal, but the court will determine the facts and any legal outcome.

The published information does not indicate whether other people are being sought in relation to the incident. It also does not confirm whether police believe the burglary was linked to any other reported offences.

What property was reportedly stolen?

The burglary report stated that jewellery and an Apple Watch were taken from the Devonshire Road property.

The occupant returned home shortly after midnight on 27 August and discovered that a number of items had been removed. The report described the jewellery and watch as among the property taken, but it did not list individual pieces, describe their appearance or provide identifying marks.

No estimated value was included in the published account. The report also did not confirm whether the stolen items had been insured or whether they had been recovered by police.

Merseyside Police has not publicly released further details about the stolen goods in the information reproduced by Birkenhead News. Anyone with knowledge of the items, or anyone who may have seen suspicious activity near the address, is being asked to contact investigators.

How did police investigate the report?

Merseyside Police said officers used several forms of evidence during the investigation.

The first was a forensic examination of the scene. Such an examination can help investigators identify material or other evidence that may assist an enquiry, although the published report does not specify what was found at the Devonshire Road property.

Police also made witness enquiries. The available information does not identify the witnesses or explain what information they provided.

CCTV enquiries formed another part of the investigation. The report does not identify the cameras reviewed, the locations of the footage or what images may have shown. It states, however, that forensic work, witness enquiries and CCTV investigations preceded McGrath’s arrest and charge.

The released account does not say whether officers recovered footage from private security systems, public cameras, smart doorbells or other sources.

How can people report information?

Merseyside Police asked anyone with information about a burglary to contact its social media desk through X or Facebook using the account name @MerPolCC.

Information can also be reported to Merseyside Police through its online crime-reporting service or by calling 101. The force advises people to use 999 in an emergency.

People who want to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or submit information through the charity’s anonymous online reporting form.

Merseyside Police also operates a dedicated portal for members of the public who have CCTV, smart doorbell or dashcam footage showing suspicious activity but do not know whether it is connected to a specific offence. The portal allows people to upload footage for police assessment.

The report published by Birkenhead News did not say that investigators had made a specific request for additional footage from the Devonshire Road incident. Instead, it highlighted the wider reporting channels available to people who may hold relevant information about burglaries or suspicious activity in the area.

What does the charge mean?

A charge means that police have formally accused a person of an offence. It does not establish guilt.

In this case, the allegation is burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal. The reported charge concerns a residential property, rather than a business or other non-residential premises.

The next stages of the case will be determined through the court process. The information available in the published report does not include a plea, evidence presented in court or any verdict.

The defendant remains entitled to the presumption of innocence while the proceedings continue. Further details may become available through later court reporting or statements from Merseyside Police and the courts.

What has police said about the wider appeal?

The information published by Birkenhead News did not include a direct quotation from a named Merseyside Police officer. It did, however, provide the force’s contact routes for people who may have information about a burglary.

Members of the public are encouraged to report information directly to police or anonymously through Crimestoppers. The force’s dedicated upload portal is also available for footage from CCTV systems, smart doorbells and dashcams.

People should not put themselves at risk by approaching anyone they suspect of involvement in a crime. In an emergency, the correct route is 999, while non-emergency information can be given to police through 101 or the force’s online reporting options.

Background to the development

The development follows a reported burglary at a house on Devonshire Road in Toxteth. The occupant returned at 12.20am on 27 August and discovered that jewellery and an Apple Watch, along with other items, had been taken the previous day.

Merseyside Police investigated the report through a forensic examination, witness enquiries and CCTV checks. Joseph McGrath, 62, of Lower Breck Road, Anfield, was subsequently arrested and charged with burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal.

The published report does not provide details about the alleged method of entry, the value of the property, whether the items have been recovered, or the outcome of the defendant’s appearance at Wirral Magistrates’ Court on 16 September. It also does not name the author of the Birkenhead News report or include a direct statement from McGrath or his legal representative.

How could this development affect local residents?

The case may encourage residents in Toxteth, Anfield and surrounding areas to review their home-security arrangements and report suspicious activity promptly. CCTV, smart doorbell and dashcam footage may assist police investigations, even when residents are unsure whether their recordings are connected to a specific offence.

People who have information about the Devonshire Road burglary can contact Merseyside Police through its social media desk, online reporting service or 101. Anonymous information can be passed to Crimestoppers.

The immediate legal impact concerns the defendant, who has been charged and remanded in custody pending court proceedings. For local residents, the available information does not establish a wider pattern of offending or confirm that the incident is connected to other burglaries.