A man from Chaulden has held his hands up to a burglary and two attempted break-ins and asked for a string of other house raids to be taken into consideration.
Nelson Loveridge, 22, of Honeycross Road, Hemel Hempstead, was arrested after police were called to two burglaries in Long Chaulden and East Flint last Monday.
When he appeared at Hatfield Remand Court on Saturday he pleaded guilty and asked for 17 other break-ins to be taken into consideration.
Before the arrest police said they were struggling to track down the culprit behind more than 23 break-ins and attempted burglaries in the Boxmoor and Chaulden area since November 1.
Loveridge is next due to appear at St Albans Crown Court in early February.
In an unrelated incident, police are appealing for information after a home was broken into in Park Road, Hemel Hempstead.
Crooks climbed a fence at the side of the house and forced a panel in a secure door last Wednesday, between 11.45am and 3.50pm. They went upstairs and grabbed an iPad, Apple Mac, a Tiffany ring, Tiffany bracelet, a Pandora bracelet with a hippo sleigh charm, a kangaroo charm and yellow and red glass beads. A Nintendo DSI, a Kipling handbag and a X Box Connect were also taken.
Det Sgt Gill Fawcett from the Hemel Hempstead local crime unit said: “This burglary has had a devastating effect on the victims who have lost items of great sentimental value. I would urge anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious, or who may have been offered these items for sale to get in touch.”
Anyone with information can call the police non-emergency number, quoting crime reference D1/13/390. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.