A 38-year-old Stevenage thief has been jailed after stealing more than £1,500 worth of goods from stores in the town.

Daniel Breckenridge, from Broadwater, was sentenced to 30 weeks behind bars.

The 38-year-old was arrested by officers from the Stevenage Scorpion Team on Friday, February 9, and was found to be in possession of stolen property worth in excess of £1,500.

He was subsequently charged with six counts of theft and breaching a suspended sentence after appearing at Hatfield Magistrates' Court on Saturday, February 10.

Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Matt Fathers said: "Shoplifting continues to be an ongoing issue in Stevenage and is a policing priority for my team.

"We are committed to identifying prolific offenders and I hope this reassures the public that those who continue to offend will end up with custodial sentences."