A teenager who broke into a car and stole a midwife’s medical equipment has been caught and prosecuted – all within days of the crimes happening.

Jake Cramp broke into a car and a house in South Bank, Chichester, on the morning of Tuesday, January 7.

He stole laptops and medical equipment.

Enquiries by officers led to the tracking down of a witness who was able to give a partial description of a man in a distinctive jacket who had been acting suspiciously in the area that morning.

The next day a PCSO in Chichester spotted Cramp wearing a similar jacket and alerted colleagues who arrested the 18-year-old.

Cramp, of Collyer Avenue, Bognor, admitted to both crimes when he was being interviewed and officers were able to trace and recover all of the items and return them to their owners.

On Thursday, January 9, Cramp was charged with burglary and theft from a motor vehicle. He appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court the following day where he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Detective Constable Mark Burgess said: "From the offence being committed to the perpetrator being convicted with all property recovered and returned was a remarkable three days.

"This is an example of the public and police working together to identify an offender and bring him swiftly to justice."