months faced 18 charges when he appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court heard how Kent Loy Laws stalked and jumped on several women in the area, making off with their handbags and valuables. He also broke into a number of parked cars and houses, stealing cash and jewellery.

Prosecutor Sgt. Rex Osborne said 33-year-old Laws, of Paget, was the subject of a Police manhunt in October and November when thefts were being reported weekly in the Langton Hill and Whitney Avenue area.

Women were in fear of walking anywhere in the neighbourhood at night while other residents resorted to arming themselves.

Laws' luck ran out earlier this month when Police managed to apprehend him, the court heard.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to 16 counts of theft, including burglary, breaking and entering, car theft and handbag snatching. He also admitted assaulting a woman and prowling.

His two-month crime spree, which began on October 7 and ended on December 8, netted nearly $4,500 worth of cash and valuables, the court heard.

Sgt. Osborne told how Laws waited one night for a woman to get out of a taxi outside her house, and then snatched her handbag.

In another case, a woman got out of the shower and saw Laws standing in her living room with her handbag. She screamed and he ran off.

Laws soon began getting violent, the court heard.

A woman, who was walking home after visiting a friend, was grabbed from behind in a bear hug by Laws, who ripped her handbag from her shoulder, Sgt. Osborne said.

Laws did not only pick on women who were walking alone. Sgt. Osborne told of how he surprised two women as they walked up the driveway to their apartment one evening.

When the two women put up a fight, he punched one in the face and ran away -- having grabbed a handbag. Laws, a porter at a local restaurant, continued committing similar offences until Police caught up with him, the court heard.

He pleaded for a social inquiry report to be carried out before he was sentenced, admitting he had a drug habit. He also said he had suffered family stress with the death of his brother-in-law, and his girlfriend being sent to prison.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis agreed to a social inquiry report, but because of the seriousness of the crimes, he remanded Laws in custody. He was ordered to appear for sentencing on January 7.