A Suffolk man was filmed burgling a shed after attempting to break into two cars and a house in search of drugs.

Anthony Vittles had gone to an address in Lakenheath to buy drugs without knowing the occupant had recently died.

The 44-year-old was caught on CCTV trying to enter the property in the early hours of March 13.

Vittles, of Peterhouse Close, Mildenhall, then attempted to break into two cars before entering a garden shed.

South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court heard how the current occupant of the house was woken by the sound of Vittles trying the door handle at 6.40am.

CCTV footage showed him running away after being scared by barking dogs, before returning to interfere with two vehicles and reach into a shed for a rucksack, which he then replaced after examining its contents.

When later arrested, he was found to be in possession of cannabis resin – a class B drug.

Magistrates heard that Vittles had bought drugs from the address on previous occasions, but was unaware the occupant had died two or three weeks before he returned to buy cannabis.

Malcolm Plummer, representing Vittles, said his client had eventually given up on his search for drugs and walked away.

“In that shed were quite a few power tools,” he added.

“If intent on stealing anything, he would have taken them.”

Vittles had 34 prior conviction for 100 drug related dishonesty offences before appearing at court in custody from Norwich Prison last Wednesday, when he admitted attempted burglary of a dwelling, burglary of an outbuilding, two counts of vehicle interference and possession of a controlled drug.

In November, he received a community order with a drug rehabilitation requirement for theft from a vehicle and two counts of interfering with vehicles.

Vittles was said to be engaging well with his drug rehabilitation requirement, but had stopped attending, due to medical reasons, in March.

Magistrates agreed the burglary offence crossed the custody threshold and imposed a 12-week term – reduced to 10 weeks for his guilty plea.

They suspended the sentence for one year, telling Vittles: “This will be hanging over you for 12 months.”

He was also given a new 25-day drug rehabilitation requirement.