A man has been jailed for 12 months after he admitted breaking in to four different businesses.

Alex Bignell, aged 32, of Lowestoft Road, Beccles, Suffolk, pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary and one count of theft from a shop in Banbury at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (November 7).

Bignell was also ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation.

Bignell was responsible for multiple business burglaries across Banbury town centre between March 1 and April 11 this year.

He was charged via postal requisition on October 14.

Investigating officer PC Benoit Boisset, of the Neighbourhood Policing Team based at Banbury police station said: “I am happy to see Bignell convicted of these offences that caused a great deal of concern to our business community around the time he was offending.

“Local businesses such as those that Bignell targeted work hard to earn a living and the disruption that was caused by these offences was significant to their livelihood.

"It is right that Bignell should pay compensation to them.

“Thames Valley Police is committed to bringing burglars to justice as it is an incredibly invasive crime and will not be tolerated.”