A man has been jailed the morning after he left prison for trying multiple door handles in Kensington Gardens, Darlington.

The incident was reported by multiple concerned residents and within minutes a PCSO was at the scene.

One of the residents had taken a picture of 52-year-old Paul Stephenson which helped the PCSO in her search.

Stephenson tried multiple car door handles and also stole coco pops, carnation milk and two cans of pop from Premier News.

He was arrested and charged just five minutes after the initial calls came in.

A Durham Constabulary spokesperson said: "When a call came into the control room from concerned residents reporting a man acting suspiciously in Kensington Gardens, Darlington earlier this month, PCSO Caroline Douglas was on patrol just around the corner.

"One of the victims had managed to take a photograph of Stephenson before PCSO Douglas arrived so when she located him just five minutes later, she was able to identify that he was our suspect.

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"The 52-year-old of Darlington had been trying door handles of houses and doors having only been released from prison that morning.

"He was arrested and later charged.

"He admitted four counts of vehicle interference and theft from a shop when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court and was sent back to prison for another 12 weeks."