A prolific burglar has been jailed following a series of overnight crime sprees.

For around a fortnight, Paul Freeman targeted victims across the Towns in Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham.

Just before midnight on December 30, the 39-year-old went into a porch in City Way, Rochester, but ran away when he was disturbed by the resident.

Nine days later, Freeman was walking past a house in Great Lines, Gillingham, when he saw a man had left his backpack in the porch while parking his car.

Freeman took the opportunity to steal the bag which had several items in it including a wallet and bank cards.

The victim immediately searched the area and got the backpack back after confronting Freeman, who had made his way to Sallyport Gardens.

He had however kept the man’s bank cards and tried to use four of them to buy a bottle of alcohol in a shop.

In the early hours on January 12, Freeman then went to an address in Scott Terrace, Chatham, and tried to open the doors of parked cars before attempting to force open the front door at a house.

He then left swiftly on a bicycle but police officers recognised him in footage recovered from doorbell cameras and CCTV at the shop.

Freeman, of no fixed address, was arrested on January 19 in Ordnance Terrace, Chatham, and later charged with two burglaries, an attempted burglary and fraud.

He pleaded guilty and at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

Detective Constable Kati Edge, of the Kent Crime Squad, said: "Freeman is an opportunist criminal who roams the streets of Medway during the hours of darkness seeking items to steal.

"He has no regard for the impact his crimes may have on his victims and Medway residents can be reassured now that he is safely behind bars."