A young man who stole a coat and Halloween mask from a car during a crime spree in the early hours of the morning racially abused a police officer when he was arrested.

Tobie Robson was caught on CCTV trying to gain entry to a number of cars and homes as he prowled around the streets of Hartlepool on October 11 last year.

The 19-year-old was spotted rifling through a Peugeot car parked on Loyalty Close before he was later seen trying a door handle on a home before turning his attention to a car parked on the drive.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said Robson stole a jacket and Halloween mask from the car before putting the jacket on and walking away from the area.

Read more: Boozy ex-copper groped two colleagues while wearing Christmas jumper

The defendant was later seen trying the door handle of a property on Valley Drive where a father was asleep at home with his children.

Teesside Crown Court heard how following his arrest he became abusive to a police officer and said: you’re not even from this country’.

The stolen jacket was recovered following a search of his home address.

The Northern Echo: Tobie RobsonTobie Robson (Image: Cleveland Police)

Robson, of Hamilton Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty two charges of attempted burglary, theft, two charges of motor vehicle interference, and a racially aggravated public order offence.

The court heard how the defendant was also in breach of a previous sentence for assaulting a police officer when he kicked her on the leg.

Read next:

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said his client had spent three months on remand following his arrest in October.

He added: “When he was on this spree he was on drugs and had taken drugs.”

Recorder Mark McKone KC sent Robson to a young offenders’ institute for a total of 23 months.

He said: “The first attempt at house burglary was when you were trying the handle of the front door where a woman and her three children were asleep in the property at the time – that is all mother’s worst nightmare.”