A Norwich man has been jailed after breaking into a shop and stealing bottles of perfume, as police vow that coronavirus won’t stop them pursuing criminals.

Robert Wilson, 35 and of Mousehold Street, Norwich, appeared before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, March 24 where he was sentenced.

It came after a burglary which happened shortly before 6pm on Sunday, March 22 at Boots in Tavern Street, Ipswich, when a man broke in via a window and stole bottles of fragrance.

Officers from Ipswich Central Neighbourhood Team noticed the man with the goods and pursued him on foot for a short distance before detaining him. He was taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where he was questioned.

Wilson was subsequently charged with burglary on Monday, March 23. He was also charged with criminal damage after a window was broken at a residential property in Northgate Street, Ipswich.

On Tuesday, Wilson was sentenced to 28 weeks in jail for burglary and criminal damage offences and 12 weeks for separate shoplifting offences occurring between December 2019 and February 2020 in Norwich.

He was also ordered to pay compensation costs totalling £100.

Inspector Vicky McParland, for Ipswich Central, said: “Town centre officers on patrol quickly detained this offender so to see Wilson receive this custodial sentence is very satisfying.

“We continue to work with shops and CCTV in order to reduce the number of offences occurring in our town centre and in the current COVID-19 lockdown, the police are still very much tackling criminality as usual.”