An undercover sting operation by Wandsworth Council's parks police has led to the conviction of a 19-year-old man for breaking into a Battersea Park café three times.

Jack McQueen, of Greyshott Road, Battersea, was caught red-handed when he tried to burgle the Gondala Café late in the evening of March 24.

The police got their man, following a spate of break-ins at the popular eatery, by hiding two officers in the café every night to lie in wait for the persistent thief.

They were finally rewarded for their patience, on the ninth night of the stakeout, when McQueen was arrested as he tried to smash his way into the café by breaking the glass in the front door.

He later admitted to two previous burglaries when he was shown covert CCTV footage which had caught him in the act.

After pleading guilty to all three offences, at South-Western Magistrates' Court earlier this month, McQueen was sentenced to 12 months probation plus a six month curfew preventing him from leaving his home between 10pm and 6am.

He was also slapped with an antisocial behaviour order banning him from entering Battersea Park for the next two years. If he breaches the order McQueen could face up to five years in prison.

Friends of Battersea Park chairman Philip Wright said: "We are very lucky to have a police presence in the park 24/7 and this is a great triumph for them. I'm delighted because it has been quite a depressing time for the leaseholders of the cafe."