A prolific burglar and thief who targeted businesses across West Dorset has been jailed for a total of three years and 146 days.

Reece Wilson, 22 and of Court Close in Bridport, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday (December 20) after pleading guilty at earlier hearings to five counts of burglary other than dwelling, four shoplifting offences, one dwelling burglary, one count of criminal damage and one count of burglary other than dwelling with intent. He also asked for 24 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

The first burglary offence occurred overnight between Tuesday, August 31 and Wednesday, September 1 at a food kiosk on the quayside in West Bay. Charity tins, a small amount of change and food items were stolen.

A second offence occurred overnight between Friday, September 17 and Saturday, September 18 at Washeteria Laundrette in South Street, Bridport, when entry was forced to the premises and the coin trays of eight machines were removed and emptied.

Entry was also forced to an ice cream kiosk in West Bay over the same time period with a quantity of cash stolen.

A fourth offence was committed on the evening of Monday, October 11 at a barbershop in Ilminster in Avon and Somerset, where a charity collection box was stolen.

During the evening of Wednesday, October 13 a burglary occurred at a home in Charmouth. The vulnerable victim – a local man aged in his 60s – had his jacket stolen, which contained a bank card and keys, as well as cash, a mobile phone and items of food. Wilson was known to the victim after he carried out work at his address during the summer.

Three of the shoplifting offences were committed at Co-op in Bridport between Thursday, September 16 and Friday, October 1 and a fourth offence occurred at Phone and Vape in West Street, Bridport, on Saturday, September 25.

Wilson's crime spree was mainly committed over an eight-week period. He was identified from CCTV footage obtained from the premises and was also forensically linked to a number of the crime scenes via fingerprints.

A wanted public appeal was issued in relation to finding Wilson in connection with the offences and he was arrested on Thursday, October 14.

Prior to the eight-week crime spree, Wilson admitted entering The Arcade in Charmouth on Sunday, September 20, 2020, with intent to steal.

Detective Constable Lynda Soutine, of Weymouth CID, said: "Reece Wilson was responsible for committing a large number of offences and we were relentlessly committed to identifying and apprehending him for these crimes.

"We worked collectively in order to gather all the available evidence to bring Wilson before the court.

"Burglary and shoplifting offences have a significant impact on our business community and we hope this investigation and court case will further reassure them that we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice."