A MAN who found his car had been broken into overnight carried out his own investigations into the crime, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Adam Smith discovered who was responsible, confronted them and recovered his property before reporting the offence to the police.

Shaun Malcolm Smith, 18, of Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a conditional discharge for nine months and ordered to pay £80 costs.

Ian Holland, defending, said his client remembered very little about the offence because of the amount he had to drink.