A YOUNG burglar who targeted three roads in Fareham has been put behind bars for 12 months.

Douglas Mitchell, 18, brought misery to residents of Oak Road, Blackbrook Road and Abbey Road in a series of late-night raids.

Yesterday, residents of the area expressed their relief that he is finally behind bars.

Mitchell would use his home in Gudge Heath Lane as a base, prowling the neighbourhood and entering homes through insecure doors and windows.

DC Martin Allen, of Fareham CID, said yesterday: "He was just slipping out in the middle of the night and doing this.

"Mitchell moved to the area in July. Prior to that we had very little burglaries in the area. Since he was arrested we have had no more."

Mitchell appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday to admit one charge of burglary on an Abbey Road home at around 2.30am on October 16 this year.

Prosecuting barrister Ian Harris told the court that Mitchell entered the home through an unlocked kitchen window while the occupants were there.

He stole a handbag and escaped through the front door, dumping the bag in a neighbour's garden after first taking out cash and a mobile phone.

From the dock Mitchell also asked for three other charges of burglary to be taken into account.

They were:

Stealing a wallet containing £25 from a house in Oak Road on August 28.

Stealing a computer games console, a MiniDisc player and cash from a house in Blackbrook Road on September 23.

Stealing a MiniDisc player and a wallet containing cash and credit cards from a house in Oak Road on October 7.