A burglar who stole a car in Maidstone was caught weeks later after police stopped to help him when it broke down.

Robert Wojtczak was spotted by officers pushing the car, a blue Mini Cooper, near Royal Engineers Road on Sunday, August 20.

Officers initially went to help the 30-year-old as the vehicle was in a dangerous place.

He told them he had run out of fuel, but officers became suspicious after noticing the front and rear number plates were different.

As they were carrying out further checks, Wojtczak fled the scene.

He was caught and arrested, and further inquiries revealed the vehicle was linked to a burglary the month before.

A resident living off Tonbridge Road had awoken to find their conservatory doors forced open.

Her handbag was missing, along with her phone, laptop, and car keys. When she went outside, she discovered her car had also been stolen.

Wojtczak was forensically linked to the burglary after his DNA was detected at the scene. Tests also connected him to another break-in in Maidstone in June.

When he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court, the 30-year-old, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two offences of burglary, as well as the theft of a motor vehicle and three counts of theft from a motor vehicle.

He also admitted three further charges of possession of cannabis, LSD, and amphetamine.

He was sentenced to three years in prison.

DC Raj Dusanjh said: "Wojtczak is a prolific offender who no doubt would have continued to commit further crimes had he not been caught.

"He has caused a huge amount of distress and anxiety to a number of victims and I am pleased he is now off the streets and behind bars, where he can cause no further harm to law-abiding members of the public."