Parcel thief walked into flats

A thief crept into blocks of flats and student accommodation to steal parcels in the weeks before Christmas.

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Daniel Hester, pictured, made-off with £250-worth of packages from the communal areas of residential buildings in Newcastle city centre. Over a period of a month, the 43-year-old also stole goods from Sainsbury's and Asda and failed to pay for £10-worth of petrol at a garage, a court was told. He was later identified from CCTV and arrested.

Hester, of Deepdale Green, in Cowgate, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, three theft by findings, two shop thefts and one making-off without making payment when he appeared in the dock this week.