A 13-YEAR-old boy who stole a Poppy Appeal tin so he could buy sweets has owned up to more than 80 other thefts.

He admitted the offences, which included 72 confectionery thefts from one shop, when he appeared at Mid Sussex Youth Court in

Haywards Heath.

Catherine Davies, prosecuting, said a Royal British Legion collecting tin and poppies had been left in a residents' lounge at Marten House, a sheltered accommodation scheme in The Brow, Burgess Hill. But the tin, containing an estimated £30, disappeared.

Police believed the incident could be linked to a series of other thefts at Marten House and envelopes under doors in a bid to catch the thief.

Mrs Davies said police caught the boy leaving the building with the envelopes and money on November

18.

She said he admitted stealing the poppy tin to buy sweets and using his position as a paper boy to steal regularly from Marten House. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to stealing the charity box and money in the envelopes.

He also asked for 84 other offences to be taken into consideration.

Twelve of these involved the theft of £17.40 from residents at Marten House between November last year and November 18 this year.

The other 72 were for the theft of confectionery from Budgen's, Hassocks, between September, 1997, when the boy was 11, and November 18 this year.

Ian Elkins, defending, said the youngster did not understand the seriousness of the offences, particularly the significance of stealing money which would have helped war casualties. He has since been sacked as a paper boy. The boy, described as a "disruptive" influence at school, would be seeing an educational psychologist.

Magistrates adjourned the case until January 17 for reports.

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