A man has been jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to burglary offences in Watford.

George Mitchell, 26, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and one count of vehicle interference at Hatfield Remand Court on Friday, August 18.

In addition, he was ordered to pay £760 in victim compensation.

The charges relate to offences in July and August this year.

In the early hours of Monday, July 31, Mitchell broke into Fratelli’s restaurant on The Parade in Watford High Street, where he stole alcohol, a debit card and £100 in cash.

Overnight between Monday, August 7 and Tuesday, August 8, Mitchell again broke into Fratelli’s restaurant and stole another £100 in cash.

On the morning of Friday, August 10, Mitchell was captured on a doorbell camera trying the door handle of a car in Westfield Avenue, but he did not gain entry.

In the early hours of Sunday, August 13, Mitchell broke into Majestic Gentlemen barbers on Queens Road, where he stole a laptop and cash.

Detective Inspector Chris Parperi, who leads the Watford local crime unit, said: “Mitchell shamelessly targeted independent businesses run by members of our community, leaving them to pay for repairs to their premises, and replace items that he had stolen.

“This is a message for those who steal from hard-working business owners in Watford: we will investigate, and we will strive to provide justice to victims of crime.”