A prolific thief who stole in Leamington and Kenilworth has been jailed for 24 weeks.

Aaron Palmer, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Coventry Magistrates' Court yesterday (Wednesday 17 January) after pleading guilty to five counts of theft and one count of fraud by false representation.

When he was arrested in January, the 34-year-old told officers he knew they had been looking for him and had been hiding.

On 1 December 2023 a car was broken into in Leamington and a jacket and wallet stolen. The owner of the items contacted police after receiving a text message from his bank telling him someone had attempted to use his card.

Later that day Palmer, 34, went into a shop and attempted to use the card. After it was declined the shop worker informed the town's CCTV operators who informed police. They caught up with Palmer, who was wearing the stolen jacket, in The Parade and arrested him.

Palmer was also convicted of five theft offences. On three occasions on two days in December he stole toiletry gift sets totalling more than £400 in value from a shop in Leamington.

On 29 December he stole six bottles of spirits from a shop in Kenilworth.

On 10 January, Palmer was caught on CCTV stealing a parcel from outside a house in Leamington, before being arrested again on January 16.

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Following his sentencing, PC Barney Tandy, from Warwickshire Police said: "Aaron Palmer is a repeat offender who clearly has no respect for the law.

"I'm pleased he has now been brought to justice.

"I would like to thank members of the public, businesses and CCTV operators who provided information and footage that helped us catch Palmer.

"This an excellent example of the community working together to ensure a prolific offender faced the consequences of his actions.

"People and businesses in the Leamington area are safer now he is behind bars."