The following is not intended as a justification or even mitigation of Michael Eke's actions, only to add a little more information about the man and possibly to provide a degree of explanation for some of his behaviour.
I lived in North Cambrideshire for a number of years when Eke was the CO of March Air Training Corps Squadron. During that period the squadron had a very high public profile, their band appeared at many events, the cadets were always present whenever help was required for events and the activities of the unit were well publicised in the local press. There is no doubt that at the time this was an excellent ATC unit and its cadets real credit to the Corps. It is equally true that the greater part of the credit for this should go to Eke for the large amount of work he put into the squadron.
Where did it all go wrong then? I can only speculate on this but I suspect that the "break in" resulting in the loss/damage of the musical instruments might have been the first stage. Was he frustrated at the difficulty of raising money to improve the equipment and came upon this "easy" way to re-equip the squadron band? When the money rolled in as result he succumbed and took some for his own use. From there it seems a downhill slope, he achieved much locally and yearned recognition. Awarding himself an MBE: for that is what he did: must have seemed easy after the fraud he had already perpetrated with the false burglary. To live up to his new found status he then stole from the ATC, for in his own eyes he probably deserved it. When he was subsequently employed by Cambridgeshire Police the temptation must have been almost irresistible, The police after all were guillible, hadn't he fooled them before? Had he now succumbed to the belief that no one would ever suspect someone of his standing? The rest as we know is history.
The biggest loser from this affair is not Eke himself but the cadets of March ATC Squadron whose trust he betrayed. It is such a pity, he did achieve so much, but I fear that will not be remembered.
YS