A serial thief who tried to steal two bicycles at once fell over as he tried to pedal away.
Kirk Scott, 39, jumped on one and pushed the second, which he had taken from outside a Sunderland city centre pub.
But he was watched by police and CCTV operators as he tried to make his bizarre getaway, a court heard.
The scene on Friday, June 25, had serious implications for Scott, of Hill View Square, Grangetown, Sunderland.
He was already subject to an 18-week jail term, suspended for 18 months, imposed just five weeks earlier – and has now been put behind bars.
Magistrates in South Tyneside activated the sentence in full – and added eight more weeks for the bike thefts, to run consecutively.
They heard Scott’s criminal record stretched to 60 previous convictions – 58 for theft – from 138 past offences.
Prosecutor Clare Irving said: “Police were near the Borough public house.
"The defendant is seen to use pliers to unlock the bike chain outside the pub, and ride off.
“He rode off on the bike he brought with him and pushed the one he had just taken.
“He rode towards Sunderland Civic Centre, where he was seen by a Police Support Officer and a police officer.
“He attempted to ride away but fell off and was arrested. He made no reply in interview.
“There are no injured parties. The two owners have not been identified.”
Heather Bolton, defending, urged magistrates to not activate the suspended sentence.
She said Scott, who pleaded guilty to a theft charge, had recently needed hospital treatment after being attacked.
And she insisted drug rehabilitation work linked to the suspended sentence would take time to kick in.
Ms Bolton added: “He does accept that he was responsible for stealing the two bikes.
“The owners have not yet come forward, and both bikes were recovered.
“I ask you not to activate the suspended sentence order. The order is still in its infancy, they don’t work overnight.”
Ms Bolton said Scott had also launched an appeal at Crown Court to have the suspended sentence overturned.
In total, Scott will serve 26 weeks in prison. He must also pay a £128 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
Magistrates said they had no alternative but to jail him due to the short passage of time between the imposition of the suspended order and the thefts.
They also said he had a record of non-compliance with court orders.
