A MAN who went on a crime spree targeting a city’s commercial premises is paying the price after being jailed for a total of 28 months.

Michael Lonergan carried out a spate of shop thefts and commercial break-ins late last year and in the first week of 2018, culminating in a one-day litany of offences, in Durham, on January 7.

But a judge at Durham Crown Court told him he was not a very good burglar as in most cases he left a finger print or other DNA evidence to link him with the crime.

Lonergan, 23, of Worcester Road, Newton Hall, Durham, previously admitted four theft charges, two each of burglary and attempted burglary, one of assault by beating, relating to a shop security guard who challenged him, and one of failing to appear at a previous magistrates’ court hearing.

Paul Reid, prosecuting, said the offences included break-ins at the Cellar Door restaurant, in Saddler Street, from where two ipads, wine and spirits were taken, valued at £1,500, and another at Mandy Kelly Beauty, in Maynard’s Row, Gilesgate, stealing £140-worth of cosmetics.

He also stole a £100 pair of trousers from Pet and Pony, in Renny’s Lane, Gilesgate, on January 5.

Two days later, he stole food and wine from Aldi and Sainsbury’s stores, in Gilesgate, and tried to break-into the nearby Timpson’s locksmiths.

Mr Reid said these offences were, “clearly committed under the influence of drink and drugs.”.

It ended with him trying to throw a slab through the Aldi store window when challenged by security staff, causing £5,000 worth of damage.

David Callan, mitigating, said as Lonergan told a probation officer, he was at, “an all-time low” at the time, and, on January 7, had drunk a bottle-and-a-half of vodka as well as taking hundreds of anti-depressant tablets.

“But, being in custody has helped him to, ‘clean himself up’,” added Mr Callan.

Jailing him for 28-months, Deputy Circuit Judge Paul Worsley told Lonergen: “You’re not a very good burglar, because you keep leaving fingerprints and DNA, you’re caught on CCTV and observed by shop workers, which result in you getting caught.”