A TEENAGER who stole £4,000 of cable from Southend Hospital was caught...after his family shopped him.

Kevin Choules, 19, admitted stealing the cable from the hospital over the course of two days in August and September.

Police raided his home St Clare Meadow, Rochford, to find some of the stolen cable had been stashed in his loft.

Speaking after the hearing, prosecutor Bob Rowlingson said the raid happened after a family member reported him.

He added: “When they did a property search they found some of it in his loft. They also did enquiries at the scrap yard where he sold the stuff.”

They also found a £250 petrol strimmer which had been stolen from elsewhere in Westcliff.

Choules appeared before Southend Magistrates Court via video link from Chelmsford Prison.

He had pleaded guilty at a previously hearing to two counts of theft and one of handling stolen goods.

The case was adjourned until November when a decision will be made about whether a psychiatric report is necessary.