Davis, 38, was arrested at his home in Birchwood, Orton Goldhay, last Wednesday (November 10) on suspicion of stealing a number of bicycles across the city.

Davis started his most recent stealing spree on October 2 at Morrisons supermarket in Lincoln Road, Walton, where he stole six DVDs by concealing them within his coat. A security guard tried to stop him but he managed to get away on a bicycle.

Four days later on October 6, Davis went to Peterborough United Football Club’s training ground in Oundle Road, New Fletton, where he arrived on one bike but left it behind as he rode off on one he stole from the training ground.

On October 12, he was captured on CCTV at Peterborough Regional College in Park Crescent stealing a bike.

The same week, on October 16 Davis attempted to steal a mother and her daughter’s bikes from outside Dobbie’s Garden Centre in Cygnet Park, Hampton.

Both bikes were secured with ‘D locks’ which Davis damaged and tried to remove, but he left empty handed as he was disturbed while trying to unlock another bike.

Two days later, on 18 October Davis was again captured on CCTV, this time stealing a bicycle from outside Serpentine Green Shopping Centre in Hargate Way, Hampton.

He was charged with theft of six DVDs from Morrisons, three counts of theft of a bike and two counts of attempted theft of a bike, all of which he initially denied but changed his pleas at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday (November 19).

He was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison – four weeks for each of the seven offences.

Davis was handed a 12-week suspended prison sentence in May for bike theft, which has since been activated and added to his latest sentence, taking the total time to 40 weeks imprisonment.

PC James Greening, who investigated, said: “Davis has more than 100 previous offences relating to theft and similar crimes – he is a prolific criminal who we have been able to put before the courts and send back to prison.

“We are now working with the courts to apply for a Criminal Behaviour Order to be put in place which will put strict conditions in place for when Davis is released from prison next year, any breaches of them will be an arrestable offence.”

Bicycle theft prevention advice can be found on the force website here https://bit.ly/3HKmsHr.