AN EVESHAM heroin addict racked up £400 on stolen credit cards on his one-man crime spree.

Worcester magistrates heard how 21-year-old Christopher Spires stole credit cards, a purse, mobile phone and bottles of spirits from two supermarkets in Evesham.

Spires, from Glenco Road, admitted two separate thefts from vehicles, thefts from two stores, failing to surrender to bail and driving without insurance and while disqualified.

Mark Soper, prosecuting, said Spires broke into a vehicle at the back of Somerfield supermarket in Evesham on Friday, May 3, before a bungled attempt to escape in his partner-in-crime's car.

"He smashed one of the windows, a mobile phone and purse were taken," said Mr Soper. "He was seen by two members of the public.

"One of the public noticed the registration number and called the police. The purse was recovered but the phone was not."

On Sunday, May 19, Spires tried to smuggle two bottles of spirits from Somerfield under his clothes, but he was collared by a security guard.

He tried the same trick with bottles of whisky in the town's Tesco three weeks later before police eventually caught up with him.

His last theft came on Tuesday, June 18, when opportunist Spires pinched credit cards from inside a parked workman's van, buying three mobile phones and a gold chain totalling £446. None of the items were recovered.

Spires was also caught driving during a two-year disqualification, which had begun in October last year.

Nick Roberts defending said his client had a string of convictions, all of which related to his drug addiction.

But he insisted Spires did have the motivation to mend his ways.

"A sentence would take him off the streets but would not satisfy the underlying problem of this young man," he said.

"He needs to be given a chance and put on this rigorous and tough drug rehabilitation and testing order.

"He knows this is his last chance before imprisonment."

Magistrates placed Spires on a drug treatment and testing order for 18 months, to be reviewed on Thursday, August 29 by probation services.

He was ordered to pay £65 compensation and £150 costs, was banned from driving for 12 months and had six points added to his licence.