A HANDBAG thief was the author of his own misfortune after he wrote a letter about his exploits, Burnley magistrates heard.

The court was told how police found the letter when they raided Damian Conrad Whitton's house on an unrelated manner.

Whitton, also part of a gang which broke into Burnley's Woolworths and made off with electrical goods worth £2,673, kept his freedom.

He was given 100 hours community punishment and 18 months community rehabilitation, to include the Think First programme.

The bench said he had offended on bail, was in breach of a conditional discharge and had not at first co-operated with the police.

Whitton, of Burdett Street, Burnley, admitted theft from a vehicle, last July and burglary, last December. He was also told to pay £220 compensation.

Christiana Buchanan, prosecuting, said Whitton pinched a handbag from a pensioner's car after smashing a window. He was arrested but denied being responsible. He was bailed but police searched his house and found the letter describing what he had done.

Mrs Buchanan said the defendant said he had lied during a first interview as he thought he would go to jail.

Whitton was arrested for his part in the attack on Woolworths as a result of forensic evidence. He accepted responsibility.

Dylan Bradshaw, defending, said Woolworths had been broken into on several consecutive nights and the police accepted Whitton was not responsible for taking all the electrical gods. He added Whitton's record was not enviable and he had served a very short term of custody.