A TEENAGER burgled a Darlington house twice while the family who lived there were asleep upstairs, a court has heard.

Carl Dear, 18, forced the property’s garage overnight on February 7 and stole a BMX bike, a mountain bike and three scooters.

John Garside, prosecuting, said Dear hid them in a shed before returning a second time to steal a mini motorbike and stunt bike which were also hid in the shed.

Police recovered the property, worth £1,000, and arrested Dear, of Middleton Court, Darlington, on February 8.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary yesterday.

Sonny Lawson, mitigating, said his client did not realise there was an adjoining door between the garage and house which made the crime more serious.

He described the crime as “opportunistic” saying the “wheels fell off rather quickly” when he was caught on CCTV.

The case was stepped down for reports and Dear, who was given unconditional bail, will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court next month.