A burglar admitted stealing thousands of pounds worth of gold jewellery from a Northfleet house after he was arrested minutes after running away.

Patrick McCarthy, 22, was seen by a witness breaking into the property in Waterdales at around 2.40pm on Friday.

The witness called the police, who arrived just as McCarthy was trying to leave.

Patrols gave chase, assisted by the police helicopter, and McCarthy was arrested around 200 yards from the victims' address.

He had tried to dispose of some jewellery as he was being chased, which patrols recovered.

When officers went back to the address, they discovered around £20,000 worth of gold jewellery in a pillowcase in the living room, left behind when McCarthy was disturbed by the police.

McCarthy was charged with burglary and pleaded guilty to the offence at Medway Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

He has been remanded in police custody and will be sentenced on a date yet to be set.