A 30-year-old crack addict pleaded guilty to a series of break and enter charges in Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Chris Winslow Ray of Spring Hill Road, Warwick changed his plea from not guilty to guilty in relation to a break-in at Fantasea Dive Shop on February 2 of last year.

Ray broke open two dead bolt locks to gain entry before stealing a cash register and $250 cash.

The court heard that Ray and another unidentified man decided to break into the dive shop because they needed money to buy crack cocaine.

After making off in a boat with the cash and register the two were hit by a freak storm which resulted in their having to be rescued by Marine Police and taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

"I see from your record you are a professional housebreaker,'' said Magistrate Ed King before convicting Ray on his guilty plea and sending the matter to Supreme Court for sentencing.

Ray then pleaded guilty to a series of break-ins at six local businesses over the last two months.

Ray admitted to smashing the front door at Buckaroo restaurant with a concrete block and stealing a cash drawer and $50 coin float on November 14 of last year.

On December 30 he broke into the offices of Contrology Bermuda in Warwick through a bathroom window intending to steal but nothing was taken.

Next on the break-in spree were the offices of Joy Lusher Realty on Harbour Road in Warwick where $7 cash was stolen after Ray gained entry by smashing a window. While the complainants believed $4 had been taken, Ray later told police he had removed $7.

Over January 13-14, the court heard that Ray broke into Telford Electric in Southampton by smashing a window at the side of the building and stole $450 and, also, smashed the glass pane at Bears Repeating in Smith's, taking $709 from the register.

The next day he stole $20 in cash from Baptiste Builders Supply in Warwick after smashing the door with a concrete block which set off the security alarm.

Ray was arrested on January 17 and he admitted to all the break-ins.

He told police that he committed the break-ins because he was unemployed, not in order to support his addictions.

Magistrate King convicted Ray on the guilty pleas and sent him to Supreme Court for sentencing.