A teenage burglar who stole more than £80,000 of property in a four-year crime spree, has been sent to a young offenders institute.

Wesley Spring, 19, stole cars, jewellery and medication after breaking into homes - many in Lowestoft.

Spring, of High Street, Newmarket, was sentenced to 40 months in a young offenders institute when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, June 16.

He was arrested in February, for stealing a Chevrolet Lacetti from the Newmarket area, which was spotted in Ipswich and then stopped by police in Lowestoft.

He was charged with two burglaries from homes, a burglary from another building and a dangerous driving offence.

But during the subsequent investigation by Suffolk police's Operation Converter team,, Spring confessed to 27 other offences, which were taken into consideration.

Those included 21 attempted burglaries or burglaries from homes, three thefts from vehicles, a burglary from another property and two thefts of vehicles.

That included stealing a Ford Galaxy from Mount Pleasant in Lowestoft in February, and 22 other offences in Lowestoft.

Elsewhere, a Ford Fiesta was taken in a burglary in Tranmere Grove, Ipswich in December 2018.

His offences also included an assault in Ancaster Road, Ipswich in May 2017 and the theft of a Ford Mondeo from Marina Parade in Great Yarmouth in late October/early November 2020.

All the offences took place from May 26, 2017 to February 16, 2021 with his ill-gotten gains valued at £80,000.

Suffolk Police said around £70,000 worth of what he had stolen has been recovered.

Police said stolen property, including medication and personal items of jewellery, had been returned to victims, which would probably not have happened had he not agreed to help police.

Duncan Etchells, from the Op Converter team, said: "Spring’s four-years of criminal activity caused much heartbreak and despair for many people – such burglaries are extremely intrusive and upsetting for the victims and can cause long term distress.

"However, we hope the fact we have secured this conviction will give some closure to those he targeted."

Operation Converter is an initiative aimed at encouraging offenders to admit their crimes.