THIEF Edward Hutchison stole a water cylinder and copper piping from his girlfriend’s rented home when he discovered that she was planning to leave the property.

But a neighbour spotted him loading up the stolen items into a van and alerted the landlord, Fenland magistrates were told.

“This was a theft from a dwelling in Beaufort Drive at Chatteris, owned by the Home Group Ltd,” said Andrea Fawcett, prosecuting.

“On July 29 the Home Group received a call from a neighbour, the defendant had been seen in a vehicle with a water cylinder believed to have been taken from the property.

“Representatives went to the property and discovered that a cylinder and copper piping had been removed.”

When arrested, Hutchison admitted letting himself into his girlfriend’s home.

“He knew she did not want to stay there any longer, so he removed the cylinder and piping, he sold them for scrap, for �40. He regretted his actions,” added Ms Fawcett.

Hutchison, 25, of New Drove, Wisbech, admitted stealing the cylinder and piping on July 29, stealing a bottle of vodka from Asda in Wisbech on December 31, and failing to attend court on November 23.

Arrested for the alcohol theft, Hutchison had said it was “a moment of madness” when he was not thinking straight.

Mitigating, Michelle Cheatle said: “He suffers from alcohol and drug abuse; he has been evicted, and has health problems.”

The court ordered a pre-sentence report and gave Hutchison conditional bail until January 26.