A 21-year-old man who stole a laptop and more than £4,000 in cash from a van in Ipswich has been jailed.

Wesley Maughan was arrested following an investigation into a spate of thefts across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex between May 2020 and February this year.

The victims of the thefts had been followed after withdrawing money from the bank before the cash was stolen from their vehicles.

In one incident in Renfrew Road in Ipswich, a man arrived back at his van to find the front driver’s window smashed and £4,200 in £20 notes, a passport and a laptop stolen from behind the driver’s seat.

On another occasion on October 26, a man withdrew a large amount of cash from a bank in Ipswich and then parked his car in Bildeston for about 45 minutes, locking the vehicle.

After the victim returned to his car and drove home, he discovered the cash had been taken.

Officers from Suffolk police's Serious Crime Disruption Team were able to identify and link the incidents.

They charged Maughan with six theft offences and two burglary offences.

Maughan, of Southernhay in Basildon, pleaded guilty to the charges at Maidstone Crown Court last Thursday and was jailed for three years.

DC Phillip King, from the Serious Crime Disruption Team, said: "Maughan would typically follow his victims in vehicles after they leave banks with large sums of cash.

"Once the victim parked up their vehicle he would force entry and take the cash.

"This conviction is a timely reminder to all vehicle owners not to leave cash and valuables in vehicles at any time – don’t give opportunistic criminals the chance to steal your property."