Thirty-two-year-old Alan Beaton, of Maxfield Close, Eastbourne, was banned from driving but was seen behind the wheel of a stolen L-reg Citreon travelling from Linden Close to Maywood Avenue on the morning of Thursday December 18.
Undercover officers followed him and when he realised police were behind him, he accelerated at speed to avoid capture. They said his driving had become so dangerous they had to stop following him.
Magistrates at Eastbourne heard the vehicle was found soon after in Pinewood Close off Hazelwood Avenue. It had been hotwired and stolen overnight from nearby Timberley Road.
Beaton was later tracked down to Lewes and was seen going into Boots where both he and his girlfriend Sam Bradley were spotted shoplifting.
The couple were stopped and while officers were attempting to arrest them both, Beaton ran off and was chased over the bridge which crosses the river Ouse.
He was seen to throw a large number of stolen items into the river and managed to evade police. Bradley was charged with shoplifting.
Two days later Beaton was seen at the rear of a house in Percival Road doing his ironing. Police surrounded the property but when they raided the house he ran off and vaulted over nine high fences to get away. He was eventually found by a police dog hiding in the garden of 11 Percival Road.
He was charged with taking a car, driving while disqualified, resisting arrest, shoplifting but refused to answer any questions during police interview.
He appeared before Eastbourne magistrates on Monday December 22, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months in prison.