Suspected serial burglar arrested in Arundel

Between 9.30pm on Friday, December 21, and 4am on the following Saturday, a set of car keys was taken from a property in St Floras Road, Littlehampton.

A red Honda Civic was then stolen from outside the address. Police said the thief also took a laptop from the Littlehampton home.

Detectives quickly traced the car to the A259 at Bognor Regis, at around 4.40am on Saturday, December 22.

The driver drove off from police and officers followed the vehicle through Yapton and Ford, eventually stopping it in Ford Road, Arundel, and arresting the man inside.

As well as the recovery of the Honda, a police spokeswoman said a laptop was also discovered in the car.

Joe Andrews, 19, of Southampton, has since been charged with a string of offences, including burglary, theft, aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, drink-driving and use a motor vehicle without third party insurance.

He has also been charged with a number of similar offences relating to suspected burglaries and other theft offences in Hampshire.

Andrews appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Christmas Eve in relation to all the charges.