A SERIAL shoplifter who stole valuable Lego sets has been jailed after police put together the pieces of his case.

Damien Taylor raided a toy shop in Barnstaple twice during a month-long crime spree when he was living rough and addicted to drugs. Each time he stole high value Lego sets worth £79.98 each.

He also stole from other shops on five other occasions, tried to break into a house and stole three bikes and a van before he was caught and locked up.

Homeless Taylor, aged 35, of Barnstaple, admitted eleven thefts and an attempted burglary and was jailed for two years and 11 months by Recorder Mr Malcolm Galloway at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him jail was inevitable because of the number of offences and his failure to take advantage of previous attempts by the probation service to help him.

The prosecution said Taylor stole a £280 bike in 2020 and went on a spree of thefts in January this year. They included stealing valuable Lego sets from The Entertainer toyshop in High Street, Barnstaple.

Taylor shoplifted the £79.98 sets on January 6 and 8, going on to steal a jacket from JD Sports and perfume set from Superdrug on the second occasion.

Miss Evie Dean, defending, said Taylor accepts that he is going to jail but wants to access help while serving his sentence to address the underlying issues that led to this offending.