A DELIVERY man's van was stolen after he accidentally dropped his keys on the floor, a court heard.

Parcel Force driver Martin Dudley dropped the keys in a cul-de-sac on Limefield Avenue, Farnworth, as he was making deliveries, Bolton Crown Court head.

Paul Dockery, prosecuting, said Mr Dudley heard an engine start and turned to see his Renault van being driven away.

Half an hour later a police officer saw Frederick Allen walking along a street with a wallet, which he then dropped down a grid. The wallet was recovered and identified as belonging to Mr Dudley, who also picked out the 23-year-old serial offender in a identification parade.

Allen, of Pansy Road, Farnworth, initially denied the theft of the van.

The court also heard that four days after the theft Allen burgled a house on John Street, Tyldesley. He stole an elderly BMW parked outside, crashing into the back of another vehicle after driving away.

The car was later found abandoned in Little Hulton and DNA on its smashed windscreen was matched to Allen.

Two months later he was found hiding in a loft in Farnworth and was arrested.

Allen pleaded guilty to theft, burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

Andrew Costello, defending, said both the theft of the van and the burglary had been opportunistic.

He added that Allen, who has a lengthy record of offending, comes from a criminal family.

"He had no other role models to show him a different way," said Mr Costello.

Allen claimed he had fallen in with a gang of travellers who put pressure on him to steal vehicles, which were then sold for scrap, after they blamed him for police seizing one of their cars.

Judge Elliot Knopf, jailing Allen for 25 months, said he had been given chances to avoid jail before and alter his behaviour.

"It is regrettable you have not taken the opportunities," said the judge.