A teenager has been remanded in custody for seven days after admitting stealing tsunami relief collection boxes from stores across Teesside.

Stephen Sparrow pleaded guilty to raiding five shops during his theft spree, on Sunday, where he was driven around looking for easy targets.

He entered the shops and distracted workers before grabbing the collection money and running off with unknown quantities of cash.

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

Sparrow, 18, of Keithlands Avenue, Norton, also pleaded not guilty to breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) and refusing to give a blood sample while in police custody when he appeared before Teesside Magistrates' Court today.

He denied breaching his three-year ASBO, which was imposed in May this year, by entering streets on the Elm Tree Estate, including part of Elm Tree Avenue itself and roads that stem from it, including the shops on Elm Tree Avenue.

Sparrow was remanded in custody until Monday January 17 when he will be sentenced for the five charges of theft.

(Police are still hunting the callous thief who stole a sweet jar full of money from a Hartlepool off-licence and burglars who stole a bucket full of donations from King Johns Tavern in the town.

On New Year's Day, thieves broke into the pub and stole the bucket which was crammed full of £10 and £20 notes.

Burn Valley Wines store was targeted by a thief who rushed into the off-licence and grabbing the sweet jar that was on the counter on Thursday evening at 7pm.

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