A MAN has been jailed after committing a string of burglaries across the county.

Peter James Evans, 26, was sentenced to two years and four months in jail at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, June 26 2015, after previously admitting one count of burglary at the same court.

He also asked for 14 other burglaries committed in Dorset and Hampshire to be taken into consideration.

The court heard that on Monday October 27, 2014 Evans broke into a house in east Dorset and searched the bedrooms.

He stole £200 in cash, a rucksack, jewellery, watches and passports.

Crime scene investigators carried out a forensic examination of the house and found a fingerprint from the inside of a window frame. Further testing was carried out and the fingerprint was identified as being left by Evans’ right middle finger.

On Thursday, February, 28 2015 Evans was arrested on suspicion of burglary. He admitted the offence telling officers that he was in the area that day looking for somewhere to burgle.

Evans said he got into the house through a small open window.

Detective Constable Andrew Brix, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Burglary crime can have a huge impact on victims and is taken very seriously in Dorset.

“I hope this sentence handed out by the courts sends out a very strong message that anyone committing burglary offences will be arrested and dealt with robustly by the courts.

“I would like to remind people to ensure their windows, no matter how small, and doors are closed and locked before they leave the house. Taking a few minutes to carry out these simple crime prevention steps can help prevent you becoming a victim of crime.”