A pickpocket has been jailed for 45 months after being caught rummaging through a pensioner's handbag.

Bernard Francis Mangan, 28, was seen by a member of staff at The Card Factory on Sutton High Street in August last year.

The staff member, who had a perfect view as he was up a latter carrying out maintenance work, shouted "pickpocket" and Mangan beat a hasty retreat.

After police received a description from the shop assistant, the 28-year-old was arrested. Mangan was bailed to return to Sutton police station but failed to do so.

He was arrested eventually in Hornsey on March 1 2012. He was charged with the offence at the Card Factory in Sutton on the 12 April 2012.

At Southampton Crown Court on July 13, Mangan was sentenced to 45 months jail after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud, four counts of theft and one count of attempted theft between January 2010 - September 2011.