A BURGLAR who targeted Bolton stores and a home being renovated, has been jailed for 12 months.

Drug addict Martin Thompson stole clothing and items worth more than £1,400 from the Utopia shop in Deansgate, even returning a second time with another man to add to his haul.

But Bolton Crown Court heard that, at each of the burglary and attempted burglary scenes, he left blood which identified him as the thief.

Ian Metcalfe, prosecuting, told the court how Thompson first broke into the Utopia store by smashing a staff toilet window at 7pm on May 7, after it had closed for the day.

“He left 20 minutes later with a number of shopping bags,” said Mr Metcalfe. CCTV revealed that Thompson returned with another man just after 2am and left with more bags full of goods, which he sold for £100.

On August 2 he broke into a house, which was being renovated, on Long Lane, Breightmet, and stole copper piping, leading to flooding and damage estimated at £500.

Then, a week later, just after 2am, he went to Aldi and Iceland in Breightmet, armed with a hammer and pulling a wheeled suitcase.

Mr Metcalfe told how he used the hammer to smash two windows at Aldi and one at Iceland, each worth £500, but did not manage to get inside.

He was arrested last month and pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary, two of attempted burglary and one of going equipped to steal.

The court heard that Thompson, aged 46, of Bury Road, Breightmet, was stealing to fund his £35 a day heroin addiction and is regarded as being at a high risk of reoffending.

Kimberley Morton, defending. said Thompson had struggled to cope after his partner was jailed and described the thefts as “very unsophisticated”.

“He does want help,” she said.

Judge Graeme Smith jailed Thompson for a year, telling him that Utopia and the home owner had suffered a “significant degree of loss”.

“You have a long and detailed history of offending fuelled by you drug addiction,” he added.