AN 18-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in a young offenders’ institute after an overnight crime spree in Salisbury.

Josh Waters, 18, of Irving Road, Southampton, appeared for sentencing at Southampton Crown Court on Wednesday, October 9.

He had previously admitted to theft, two counts of burglary, taking a vehicle without consent, driving without insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and possession of a knife in a public place.

The offences all relate to a spate of crimes in Nadder Terrace, Lower Road and Bouverie Avenue, in Salisbury, in the early hours of July 19.

Police received a number of calls, including two from people who had confronted Waters while crimes were in progress, and officers, including dog units were dispatched to find him.

A dog handler successfully found items of clothing and a knife, before locating Waters hiding in a back garden in Bouverie Close.

Detective Constable Mark Welch, from Wiltshire Police’s Community Tasking Team, said: “This was a fantastic piece of police work, where we were called out to crimes in progress and were able to successfully track and arrest the suspect.

“Once he was in custody, we then had further calls from members of the public who had woken up and realised they had been targeted during the night and we were able to link Waters to those offences as well.”