A WANTED man was found by police with a chisel in his socks and a screwdriver in his pocket following reports of suspicious activity.

Members of the public raised the alarm that a man was seen acting suspiciously in Clay Hill Lane, Basildon, on Sunday.

When officers from Basildon’s community policing team attended, they could not find anyone but other units searching nearby detained a man in Clay Hill Road, who was wanted for theft offences.

When Terry Ford, 30, of Leigh Fells, Basildon, was searched, officers discovered he had the two tools on him.

PC Marek Jaworski, from Basildon Police, said: “We were called to Clay Hill Lane after somebody reported seeing a male possibly trying to get into somebody’s garden.

“We went down to look for him but didn’t find anyone.

“Vehicles searching the wider area stopped a man at the top of the hill in Clay Hill Road, about three or four roads away.

“We couldn’t link him to what was reported in Clay Hill Lane but we found that he was wanted for theft and attempted theft.

“We also arrested him for going equipped to steal because we found the two tools on him, although he said he was picking off poppy heads.”

Ford was then taken to Basildon Police Station and charged with three offences.

He was charged with trespassing in the till area in Partyman World in Repton Close, Basildon, with intent to steal on Sunday, June 5.

A second charge related to the theft of two hanging baskets, worth £50, from Donna Watkins on Tuesday, June 14.

He was also charged with going equipped to steal on Sunday, June 26.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.

At the court hearing, Ford admitted attempted theft at Partyman World and the theft of hanging baskets,.

But the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the going equipped charge due to lack of evidence.

Magistrates sentenced him to six weeks in custody for each charge, to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months.

Ford has also been ordered to carry out a 12-month community order with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will be required to do 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay £50 compensation.