A teenager has admitting ransacking homes and escaping with goods worth nearly £4,000 in a series of burglaries in Brentwood.

The 17-year-old boy struck five times at Elizabeth Road, Pilgrims Hatch on February 1, and took jewellery, cash, an iPad, two mobile phones and protein milkshake.

He also caused considerable damage to properties by smashing rear doors or windows to get in then overturned and smashed furniture while searching for valuables.

He was arrested on February 16 and appeared at Barkingside Youth Court on Wednesday, April 29.

He admitted the five Brentwood charges and also a charge brought by the Metropolitan Police of attempted burglary at a pub in Romford.

He also asked for nine other burglary offences to be taken into consideration, including at six homes in the Brentwood district.

The boy, who is from Romford, was made the subject of a Youth Rehabilitation Order with Intensive Surveillance Supervision, given an electronic curfew for four months and ordered to pay £632 costs.

Investigating officer, DC Matthew Wigg, of Brentwood CID, said after the court hearing: "The boy travelled out from his home in Romford and thought he could get away with breaking into homes in Brentwood.

"But at the scene of one of the burglaries our scientific experts found enough DNA evidence to identify the boy, link him to the other crimes and put him before the courts.

"Burglary is an appalling crime but this boy caused more heartbreak by ransacking properties and even destroying furniture such as cupboards and wardrobes as he searched for items to take.

"All the properties were turned upside-down, they needed expensive repairs to doors or windows and the burglaries caused considerable distress to the victims.”