A THIEF who broke into cars and pinched bank cards and laptops has been jailed.

In a string of thefts running of two months, Steven Barton broke into cars in Widnes, Hunts Cross, Speke, West Derby, Aintree and Wigan in order to steal valuables.

Now the 47-year-old has been handed two years and seven months behind bars for his crime spree.

Barton’s offending began in November last year, and would see him waiting in the car parks of gyms and targeting unattended cars in which he knew items had been left.

Among the goods he pinched were bank cards, which he was later caught on CCTV using in shops.

Runcorn and Widnes World:

Steven Barton caught on CCTV using a stolen bank card

Police attempted to arrest Barton, from Liverpool, in December - but he evaded capture by driving away at speed, through red lights and on the wrong side of the road.

He was eventually captured in January in Kirkby in a car with doctored registration plates, and was found in possession of a glove and a screwdriver as well as a number of stole items including a MacBook Pro and a Dell laptop.

Barton was convicted of dangerous driving, five counts of fraud, driving while disqualified, four counts of handling stolen goods, four counts of theft from a motor vehicle, two counts of going equipped for theft and driving without insurance – and was also banned from driving for a further two years, beginning upon his release from prison.

Merseyside Police community inspector Paul Holden said: “Like many thieves, Barton was an opportunist who waited to see when victims left items in their car or looked for signs that a vehicle contained items worth stealing - he deliberately went to gym car parks with the intention of stealing from unsuspecting victims.

“Barton is behind bars, where he belongs, and we can all breathe a little easier as a result - but I want to take this opportunity to urge other car owners to frustrate people like Barton by taking a few very quick and simple steps whenever leave their vehicle for any period of time.

“Firstly, always lock your car fully and leave it somewhere which is well-lit and, if possible, covered by CCTV cameras.

“If you have a security alarm, make sure you use it.

“Part of the reason we identified Barton and were able to reunite some victims with their property is because he was caught on CCTV, and we know in many cases the presence of lighting and CCTV can deter would-be thieves.

“Secondly, take every item of value and cash with you when you park up and certainly don’t leave any on display - satnavs leave tell-tale suction marks on your windscreen and car adaptors can indicate something valuable may be inside.

“Thirdly, register your valuables with the free website immobilise.com so that if we catch the thief who stole them we can reunite you with your belongings.”