Two men have admitted carrying out 39 burglaries across Suffolk and Essex.

The break-ins took place between December 9, 2016 and January 26, 2017 across the two counties.

Properties in Colchester, Ipswich, Witham, Felixstowe and Lawford were all broken into, with a number of homes being targeted in the same location with a matter of hours of each other.

Essex Police carried out extensive investigations into the series of break-ins and concluded that the events were linked.

James Preston, 25, of no fixed address, was arrested on February 1, 2017 on the A12 in Suffolk. Steven Patmore, 25, of Mersea Road in Colchester was arrested on January 26.

Both men were later charged with conspiracy to burgle.

Preston was also charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to resist arrest in relation to a burglary in Wivenhoe on December 13, 2016.

As well as the two men, police also arrested and charged Patmore's mother, Nicola, his brother Dwayne and his sister Marlie.

Preston and Steven Patmore admitted to all the charges against them.

Preston admitted to being involved in 26 of the break-ins and Patmore 31.

Nicola Patmore, 45, of Rosemary Road, Clacton, admitted receiving stolen goods. Marlie Patmore, 24, of Bardfield Road, Colchester and 22-year-old Dwayne Patmore, also of Rosemary Road, Clacton, admitted to handling stolen goods,

No evidence was offered against a 26-year-old woman who had also been arrested and charged.

All five are due to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on July 4.