A DRUG addict stole £1,700 worth of valuables during an impulsive burglary carried out in broad daylight.

Ricki Frost, aged 36, was jailed for 12 months today after a court heard he broke in to a house, in Whitefield Road, Bury, with the intention of stealing items to sell to fund a heroin addiction.

Among the valuables taken during the break-in, which happened shortly before 1pm on June 13, were a bike, a camera, a Samsung tablet, three laptops, jewellery, headphones and a bottle of champagne.

Frost gained entry to the property by smashing a window and door at the rear, causing an estimated £400 worth of damage.

He discovered a rucksack and proceeded to root through the house searching for valuables to fill it with.

He left the house about fifteen minutes later, however, his activity was heard by a neighbour, who alerted police.

Officers arrived at the property and, just hours later, attended a house in nearby York Street, where Frost was living with a friend.

They discovered the bike, as well as a bag containing the rest of the valuables.

Officers then arrested Frost, and he pleaded guilty to burglary at Magistrate’s Court the following day.

The valuables were later returned to their owner.

Yesterday, Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Frost had a string of previous convictions, and was taking heroin at the time of the crime.

However, Nicola Carroll, defending, told the court that Frost was now doing his best to tackle his addiction, and was ‘remorseful’ and ‘ashamed’ of his actions.

She added: “This was an offence committed on impulse. He did not even have a bag with him when he arrived.”

Sentencing him to twelve months in prison, Judge John Potter told Frost: “You decided, no doubt to fund your drug habit, to invade somebody else’s home, somebody completely unknown to you.

“They were not insignificant items. They were almost all items of value with a total value of 1,700, as well as the damage of £400.

“You are in a cycle where you take drugs, and you offend to get money to take those drugs.”