A JEWELLERY thief from Beckenham has been jailed after lawyers discovered his autobiography, Born Gangster, in which he boasts about his life of crime.

Jimmy Tippett, 41, of Chancery Lane, Beckenham was sentenced to 27 months for stealing £250,000 worth of jewellery, but only pled guilty after learning the prosecution would read extracts from the book.

Mark Spinks, 52, of Calverley Close, Beckenham, was also jailed for his part in the crime, for 22 months, at Croydon Crown Court on February 15.

On August 29 2012 a businesswoman attended a pre-arranged meeting with Tippett and Spinks, posing as buyers for a Saudi businessman, at Bromley Court Hotel.

After spending approximately half an hour talking about the transaction Tippett picked up approximately £250,000 of diamond jewellery and fled the venue.

Spinks attempted to flee the scene in a taxi but was stopped 100m down the road.

Tippett was arrested a couple of weeks later at a Travelodge in Ramsgate, after a media appeal for information on his whereabouts.