A 30-YEAR-OLD man who stole a BMW car before setting off on a night of crime was jailed for 18 months yesterday.

Mark Wilson, of Howbeck Lane, Hartlepool, admitted three charges of theft and four of obtaining goods by deception at Teesside Crown Court.

Patricia Mancina, prosecuting, told the court how during the early hours of January 15, Wilson had stolen a BMW from outside a house in Hartlepool.

During the same morning, he broke into a Ford Fiesta and stole a number of items, including credit cards, she said.

Using the BMW, the court was told how Wilson drove to four shops and garages and used the stolen cards to obtain goods, which included cigarettes.

Miss Mancina said Wilson had also pleaded guilty to an earlier theft in August, when he had stolen a CD multi-changer from the boot of a car.

Ron Mitchell, in mitigation, said Wilson, who had been addicted to heroin at the time of the offences, had carried out what had been opportunist crimes in an attempt to fund his heroin habit.

He added that Wilson had taken steps since the offences to get himself off the drug.