A burglar has been jailed after going on a stealing spree - just FIVE hours after being fitted with an electronic tag.

Daniel Reed stole a bottle of champagne from a Maidstone home and attempted to steal items from a nearby car in March last year, despite wearing the tracking device which pinned him to the scene of the crimes.

The 38-year-old, formerly of Waterloo Street, pleaded guilty to burglary and theft and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday.

At around 8pm in Princes Street, a woman spotted that the driver’s door of her car was wide open - with Reed crouching inside.

Upon being interrupted, he fled the scene without taking anything.

Around the same time, Reed entered the conservatory of a property in Wheeler Street while all the residents were inside and took champagne from the fridge.

One of them heard the fridge door open and disturbed the offender, who climbed a 6ft fence to escape, leaving the bottle in the garden.

Data from the tracking device, which was fitted to Reed’s ankle, placed him in the area at both times and the information was confirmed to be accurate by an independent expert.

Reed had been fitted with the device as part of ongoing restrictions placed on him from a previous sentence.

He has now been jailed for two years and eight months.

Det Con Raj Dusanjh, the investigating officer, said: "Reed has proven that he is unable to live in society, despite being placed with firm restrictions that were made clear to him hours before he offended.

"What makes these offences worse is that he was caught in the act by his victims, which must have been a shocking experience for them.

"Had he not been caught when he was, I have no doubt that he would have continued to offend and it is fit and proper that he has received a custodial sentence."