A serial burglar has been jailed for four years after breaking into several homes.

Mark Robertson broke into four Dartford homes in May last year, stealing numerous items and two cars.

He left behind a trail of evidence that pinned him to each crime and was first identified when CCTV recorded him attempting to use two stolen bank cards to buy cigarettes, a drink, a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar at a service station in Sidcup.

The 44-year-old, of no fixed address, admitted four counts of burglary, two counts of fraud by false representation and two unrelated offences investigated by the Metropolitan Police before being sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court last Friday, June 5.

During the early hours of May 11, 2019 Robertson broke into two homes in Ashen Drive and a third address in Princes Road, stealing a luxury watch, a tablet computer, a laptop bag, a car, foreign currency and a purse from two of the three addresses.

He also forced open a front door of the other address in Ashen Drive but was unable to get through a second door.

He then tried to break-in through the kitchen door but fled when the victim saw his silhouette through a frosted window, leaving behind the laptop bag he had stolen from the first address in Ashen Drive.

A fourth burglary took place at a property in The Homestead on May 16, and on this occasion the offender stole a car, four tablet computers and a handbag.

Later the same morning, CCTV from a Sidcup service station captured Robertson arriving in the victim’s car and attempting to make a fraudulent purchase with two bank cards from the victim’s handbag.

A Metropolitan Police officer identified Robertson from the CCTV footage and he was detained by the force several days later.

A Kent Police crime scene investigator also went on to recover Robertson’s DNA on a discarded piece of wood he left behind at the first address he targeted in Ashen Drive.

CCTV also recorded him using a bank card belonging to the Princes Road victim at a cash machine in Charlton.

DC Dan Bister, Kent Police’s investigating officer, said: "In a short period of time Robertson caused a significant amount of distress to numerous victims. Alongside stealing items worth thousands of pounds, he caused a considerable amount of damage to property.

"Close partnership working with the Metropolitan Police has helped bring him to justice and I am pleased he is no longer able to target innocent members of the public.

"Anyone travelling into Kent with aspirations to commit crime should be aware that we have strong relationships with neighbouring police forces and living outside of the county will not prevent them from being identified and brought to justice."

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