Prolific thief jailed for ransacking cars

Paul Hall, aged 31, of no fixed address, broke into cars and vans in a string of thefts spanning one month in Cannock.

Hall admitted stealing tools from a car belonging to Annette O'Mahoney on February 16, as well as a Makita Paddle Mixer to the value of £300, belonging to Stephen Thomas on February 23.

He asked for 12 other offences to be taken into account when he appeared at Cannock Magistrates Court.

Officers from West Midlands Police spotted Hall in the car park of a disused pub in Cannock with two other men on February 23 at 3.10am along with a Citroen Saxo full of tools which were later identified as being stolen from five different vehicles.

John Peel, prosecuting, said: "Forensic evidence showed that blood stains in the car matched Mr Hall who admitted he had stolen power tools from a van on one occasion and he had cut himself, which is why blood had been left at the scene. He then went on to admit a string of other offences.

"CCTV showed Mr Hall gaining entry into a van and he was then interviewed by police."

Hall was arrested on March 4 and later admitted a further 12 offences to police.

Mr Brij Chaudhry, defending, said: "He arranged to meet police officers after he was arrested and volunteered information that there were other matters he was responsible for.

"Mr Hall was able to give locations of where he committed the offences and when. These are unsophisticated crimes all of a similar nature.

"They are all theft or attempted theft from motor vehicles and are of relatively low values.

"After being interviewed officers took Mr Hall home when he said he wanted to speak to them about some other matters.

"He rang them the next day and admitted to committing the other offences."

The court heard Hall lost his job of three years as a yard supervisor at Fletchers Metals in Wolverhampton on January 17.

He split up with his partner and began to hang around with people who he used to associate with and had started taking drugs again.

Mr Chaudhry added: "It is very disappointing that someone who sorted themselves out would fall into the life of crime again.

"He is sofa surfing at the minute and his partner has given him an ultimatum that he must stop associating with these people and his drug misuse has got to be a thing of the past."

Hall was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison.

Chair magistrate Lisa Elkington-Bourne said: "We feel that this offence is so serious because of the limited period that the offences were committed that a custodial sentence is necessary."