AN Ipswich couple who carried out a stealing spree in the town, breaking into two houses, a car and a shop in the space of three months, have been jailed.

AN Ipswich couple who carried out a stealing spree in the town, breaking into two houses, a car and a shop in the space of three months, have been jailed.

Jade Norris, 19, and Antonio Bennett, 25, admitted numerous charges of burglary and handling stolen goods earlier this year in front of South East Suffolk magistrates.

Yesterday they appeared at Bury St Edmunds crown court for sentencing.

The court heard how the pair were arrested at their Webb Street home after an attempted burglary at Belstead Avenue in Ipswich on June 24.

A bag was found inside the house containing a camcorder, a playstation and games, DVDs and a laptop computer. It emerged that these items were stolen from an earlier burglary in Hartley Street.

Bennett also pleaded guilty to a smash-and-grab style raid at Cashtraders in Bulwer Road on May 14.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, told how Bennett had punched his hand through the window and stolen eight mobile phones. He was caught when blood left on the window was identified as his.

Bennett was convicted of two offences of burglary, one attempted theft and one of handling stolen goods.

Norris was originally convicted of two offences of handling stolen goods, one of attempted theft and four offences of failing to attend court. She also asked for two further offences to be taken into account when sentenced.

These related to the theft of a cheque book from a car in Ipswich in March.

Mr Gair told how the cheque book had been found at the address in Webb Street "minus some cheques".

Norris also admitted she was present in the Co-op in Vernon Street when a male used cheques from that book to purchase food.

The court heard Norris was still under a Community Rehabilitation Order for previous thefts when these crimes were committed.

Kevin Clark, mitigating, said: "She does have some feeling for the victims and the consequences of her actions.

"She does not blame her co-defendant at all, and has consistently stated that she has a mind of her own but she does say that it's something she would not have done on her own."

Sentencing Bennett to a total of 18 months in jail, Judge John Devaux said: "These crimes are so serious that there is no alternative."

Norris was sentenced to a total of nine months in custody. Judge Devaux said: "Your Community Rehabilitation Order doesn't seem to have much impact on you. The sheer weight of your offending means that a short sentence must follow."