A thief was tripped up by technology after the satellite navigation unit he had stolen led police straight to his victim's door.

Police searched Russell Archer when they spotted him behaving suspiciously in the St Peters area of Leicester early on Monday last week.

The 35-year-old turned out his pockets and showed officers a sat nav system which, he claimed, he had just bought from a friend.

Officers checked the mini-computer's memory to find out its most recent destination – in the hope this would be the owner's home address.

They then went to Buxton Street, Highfields, where they found a car with a smashed window. They were able to contact the owner, who confirmed the stolen sat nav was his. Archer, who has previous convictions for theft, was put before magistrates on Wednesday.

He admitted the theft and was jailed for 32 weeks.

Inspector Shane O'Neill, commander of Spinney Hill Park police, said: "This is the first time I'm aware of someone being caught in this way by officers at this station."

Archer, of Compass Road, Thurnby Lodge, was arrested by officers from Spinney Hill Park and Keyham Lane stations during a campaign between the two stations to tackle burglary and vehicle crime.

Last week, officers revealed they have arrested more than 25 suspected burglars since the beginning of the year.

Archer was also banned from driving for 12 months for driving offences, including stealing a car on Christmas Eve last year.

Last month, city police said burglaries reported to them had fallen. Between April and December last year 1,941 homes in the city were burgled, compared to 1,981 in the same 10 months a year earlier.