A man has been jailed after stealing alcohol from three Great Yarmouth supermarkets as part of an organised crime gang.

Laurentiu Stroe, 23, had been arrested by Essex Police for six high-value thefts from shops between October 2022 and February 2023.

While on remand and awaiting sentence he was investigated by police staff from Operation Converter which led to him admitting to 15 further offences.

The offences related to the targeting of large supermarkets in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, and Herts.

The Norfolk offences took place on February 12 and May 14 last year and saw Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's stores in Great Yarmouth targeted.

In total the thefts added up to £18,000 worth of alcohol.

CCTV linked Stroe to an organised crime group working across counties stealing alcohol from supermarkets.

The group filled trolleys with bottles, took them to a quiet aisle to de-tag them, and then made multiple trips to carry them out concealed in various ways.

Stroe was sentenced to eight months in prison at Basildon Magistrates Court on Thursday, March 30.