A MAN who stole more than £1,000 from charity shops and local businesses in a spate of burglaries in Petersfield, Portsmouth and Sussex has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Christopher Paul Rees, 43, of no fixed abode, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday, December 20, where he pleaded guilty to six counts of burglary.

The court heard how the offences took place at five charity shops and one hairdressing salon between December 11 and December 19, 2020.

Overnight between December 11 and December 12, St Winifred’s Hospice charity shop in Seaford, Sussex, was broken into and £253 in cash was taken.

Overnight between December 16 and December 17, the Barnardo’s charity shop and the British Heart Foundation charity shop in High Street, Cosham, were broken into. Nothing was taken in either incident. On the same evening, the Headway Brain Injury charity shop in High Street, Cosham, was broken into and £500 in cash was taken.

Overnight between December 18 and December 19, the Age UK charity shop in Lavant Street, Petersfield, was broken into and £53 in cash was taken.

On the same evening, Lisa Edwards Hairdressing in Petersfield High Street was broken into and £400 was stolen.

Officers conducted a thorough investigation and Rees was linked to all six offences via mobile phone, CCTV and forensic evidence.