CIGARETTES worth £3,500 were discovered after a plainclothes policeman saw two men carrying bags through Worcester.

One man was caught, but his accomplice, 26-year-old Alexander Dowie, ran off dropping his two bags.

Dowie also took part in a burglary to fund his heroin addiction after lapsing from a drug testing and treatment order, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Sentencing him to 18 months in jail, Recorder Quentin Querelle said the offences were a tragedy because he had been beating the drug habit under supervision.

Dowie, of Cranham Drive, Warndon, Worcester, admitted theft of the cigarettes and burglary and asked for a another house raid to be taken into consideration.

Prosecutor Matthew Weaver said the officer saw the men carrying the cigarettes haul on the afternoon of Monday, May 19 this year.

They had been stolen from a parked car in Carden Street, in the centre of Worcester.

Treatment

A fortnight earlier, Dowie entered a house in Nailsworth Close, Warndon, through a ground floor window and stole a play station and a DVD player totalling £344. The goods were sold for £50.

Dowie had been given a drug treatment and testing order in August last year for theft, as an alternative to custody.

Abigail Nixon, defending, said Dowie's offending was drug-related. The burglary was after his heroin substitute, methadone, had been stolen.

At the time he was making good progress with his drug treatment order, she said. He was desperate to kick heroin.

He had been on a drug-free wing while in prison on remand. On his release he was determined to move away from Worcester.

Miss Nixon said his four brothers were on heroin and his friends were drug users.

"He's sick of his lifestyle surrounded by this evil drug and criminal influences," she added.

"He is keen to get back on the straight and narrow, free from crime."