A burglar who stole a pair of socks as well as laptops in a pink carrier bag will be behind bars for three years.

Clive Lindsey, 40, was jailed on Thursday after admitting two counts of burglary in Surrey and south west London.

Lindsey was spotted by plain clothed detectives at a home in Graveney Road in Tooting in November last year.

Officers from Merton’s Burglary Squad watched him go into the home and emerge two minutes later laden with a bright pink carrier bag filled with two laptops and a pair of socks.

Lindsey then ran to his green Ford Ka which he had parked in Fishponds Road before driving onto Lessingham Avenue and stopping at the junction with Franciscan Road where he was arrested.

Lindsey was taken to Wimbledon Police station for questioning and linked to a further burglary on November 17 at an address in Reigate in Surrey.

He was then charged with two counts of burglary and remanded in custody.

He had been investigated in connection with other burglaries in Wimbledon but was not charged with these although they have been left to lie on file.

Lindsey, of Knights Place, Noke Drive, Redhill, admitted two counts of burglary and was jailed for three years at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, March 12.

Detective constable Ian Griffith said: "The evidence against Lindsey was so overwhelming and strong that he was given no other choice than to plead guilty to both offences.

"In this case we were able to recover the stolen items and return them to their rightful owners within a matter of hours, a real result for the victims.

"Lindsey has now been brought to justice for his crimes and the message is clear - we will use all the intelligence and resource available to us to disrupt criminals and gather the most compelling evidence to present before the courts."