A TEENAGER has been remanded in custody after admitting stealing tsunami relief collection boxes.

Stephen Sparrow pleaded guilty to raiding five shops in Teesside on Sunday.

He entered the shops and distracted workers before grabbing the collection money and running off.

Both Costcutter stores in Lanehouse Road, Stockton, were hit before he stole collection boxes from Mills convenience stores in Oxbridge Lane, Stockton, and Station Road, Eaglescliffe. He finally targeted the Bells store, in Westbury Street, Thornaby.

Sparrow, 18, of Keithlands Avenue, Norton, near Stockton, also pleaded not guilty to breaching an anti-social behaviour order and refusing to give a blood sample while in police custody when he appeared before Teesside Magistrates' Court yesterday.

He was remanded in custody until Monday, when he will be sentenced for the five charges of theft.

* Police are still hunting burglars who stole a bucket full of donations from a pub and a thief who stole a sweet jar full of money from an off-licence.

On New Year's Day, thieves broke into the King Johns Tavern, in Hartlepool, and stole the bucket, which was full of £10 and £20 notes.

At 7pm on Thursday, a thief rushed into the Burn Valley Wines store, in Hartlepool, and grabbed the jar.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call PC Dave Cheesebrough on (01642) 302126.