A MAN who has been banned from touching cars was arrested just weeks after being released from prison.

Sean Beard, who lives in the York area but is of no fixed address, was forbidden from touching any vehicle without the owner's permission after stealing from cars.

The 27-year-old had been given a criminal behaviour order but went on to commit more offences on 1 November.

He broke into two cars on a driveway in York and stole cash from one of the vehicles.

He also broke into a car at another address in York on the same day - this time taking hand tools from the boot.

Officers arrested him days later.

And last week he pleaded guilty to theft from a vehicle, interfering with a vehicle and breaking a court order at York Magistrates' Court.

Police say Beard recently spent nearly three months in prison for similar offences.

Magistrates handed him a criminal behaviour order banning him from touching any car without the owner's permission, staying in any shop after staff ask him to leave and wearing his hood up on any hoodie or jacket in a public place.

Beard was also handed a 24-week suspended sentence.

After the hearing, Sergeant Toby Gorwood of York’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Beard is a perpetual nuisance who shows total disregard for the his criminal behaviour order or the consequences of his offending.

“Criminal behaviour orders are designed to prevent prolific criminals from repeat offending. Members of the public can help us enforce them by calling us on 101 if they think someone has broken an order.”