A travelling thief from Cambridgeshire who stole vehicles and broke into numerous cars around East and Mid-Hampshire will be sentenced next month.

Edward Parker was stopped and arrested near Whitchurch on Saturday (August 2) after his stolen Citroen Berlingo was clocked by police on the A34 at Tufton.

The vehicle had been registered stolen from an address in the Aylesbury area with the 44-year-old of Pippin Drive, Chesteron, being arrested at the scene.

Parker was charged with stealing two vehicles with the May 26 theft of a VW Golf in Rowlands Castle being one.

He was also charged with stealing from six motor vehicles with handbags, driving licences, car keys, number plates, an iPhone, laptop and iPad being among the stolen items.

The items were stolen from vehicles in Petersfield, Wickham, Sparsholt and Sutton Scotney between May 24 and June 24.

Parker was also charged with two counts apiece of driving whilst disqualified and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance, along with single charges of dangerous and drink driving.

He was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to Portsmouth Magistrates to all offences yesterday (Monday, August 4) and will be sentenced at the city’s crown court on September 5.