A thief who got away with almost £44,000 worth of jewellery on an electric scooter has been sentenced to two years and five months in jail.

Frederick Webb, 36, from Vicarage Road, Tunbridge Wells, forced open the door of a jeweller in the High Street on October 29, and broke into several cabinets.

The two-wheeled bandit escaped from the scene but later visited the High Street again on November 3, visiting a shop where he tried to buy four packs of tobacco.

His card was declined so he fled the store, this time on foot, with his items, without paying.

Webb was later spotted by officers at the railway station and, prior to being arrested, discarded a bank card on the ground.

The card was seized and discovered to have been stolen from a victim’s handbag and used by Webb to make three fraudulent purchases at shops in the town centre earlier that day.

Following his arrest, Webb’s home address was searched and most of the stolen jewellery from the break-in was recovered.

He was eventually charged with burglary, theft and three counts of fraud.

Webb pleaded guilty to all charges at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday.

PC Nell Shortis, of Tonbridge CID, said: "Webb brazenly stole from Tunbridge Wells businesses and also targeted a victim who was visiting the town.

"He was arrested by officers responding to one of the thefts and subsequent investigations identified the other offences he had committed.

"His prison sentence is entirely justified."