Device to track a prolific thief

Darren Campbell was freed from jail, where he was being held on remand, to live in a studio flat in Houghton Regis.

He will work closely with probation staff and drug workers and will be monitored by police via a tracking device.

Campbell must abide by a night-time curfew and not enter Luton, where all his offending has been committed. He will also take regular drug tests.

As part of the scheme – the Integrated Offender Management Programme – he has had to admit all the crimes he has committed. They were five charges of theft from cars with 112 similar offences taken into consideration.

Over the next month he will be assessed as to whether he is truly committed to changing his lifestyle. If the outcome of that is positive his sentence for the offences will be deferred for a further six months.

If he does not re-offend in that time and continues not to take drugs he will be given a long community order. If he fails he will be jailed.

The scheme addresses all the factors that lead repeat offenders to return to their criminal ways on their release from prison. They are found stable housing, assisted to get work and given help to conquer their addictions and stay away from previous associates.

Judge Michael Baker QC told 33-year-old Campbell: “You will be given a lot of help, but there is only one person who can put Darren Campbell’s life in order and that is Darren Campbell.

“It will require a real commitment over a long period of time. You now have one month to prove yourself.”

A similar scheme has been piloted in Hertfordshire, but has only just been taken up in Bedfordshire.

Campbell, who has served many short prison sentences for stealing property, mainly from cars, was granted bail at Luton Crown Court on Monday.

He will be back in court on August 30.