A prolific burglar who targeted homes in Peterlee has been jailed.
Jak Smithson was caught on CCTV and Ring doorbells trying door handles in several streets during in the early hours of July 27 and 29 last year.
Thankfully most properties were secure but the 19-year-old, along with two other teenagers, were chased off by some occupants who were still awake.
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They also broke into other properties, leaving fingerprints and footprints on doors and windows and in one incident, stole an Audi RS car before driving it to Hartlepool where they had also tried their luck.
Smithson, of no fixed abode, was identified by officers from the CCTV footage along with forensic evidence and arrested.
He appeared in court and was released on bail but arrested less than a month later after being caught trying to burgle a home in Hartlepool.
Appearing at Teesside Crown Court on May 10, he pleaded guilty to seven attempted burglaries, three burglaries and two vehicle thefts.
He also admitted driving whilst disqualified and making off without paying for fuel from a garage in October.
Smithson, previously of Helmsley Street, Hartlepool, was sentenced to 27 months in a young offenders’ institution.
Detective Inspector Darren Wild said: “Smithson is a prolific offender who has no regard for the property of hardworking people in our community.
“Officers in the Peterlee Volume Crime Team worked tirelessly to bring charges and make sure the vehicle was recovered so it is good to know he is now behind bars and we hope it gives the victims some peace of mind.”
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