A judge has ordered a psychiatric assessment on a cheeky burglar who broke into an empty police station twice on the same night.

Russell O’Connor helped himself to handcuffs, a baton, a police fleece, keys, incapacitant spray after getting into Totnes police station while all the on-duty officers were out on patrol.

He filmed himself on his mobile phone and gave a running commentary as he wandered around the ground floor and tried to log into a computer in the sergeant’s room.

He believed the police were all asleep but in fact they were out on patrol and caught him red-handed during his second raid when they returned.

O’Connor claimed to have walked in through an insecure side door but an internal police investigation showed the lock had been picked and the electronic entry system interfered with.

He was living in a caravan near the Brutus Bridge in Totnes when he carried out the burglary on December 21 and returned to it briefly with his haul of police kit after the first break-in.

He tried to hack into the police computer system during his first intrusion and tried to use a stolen police radio and digital notebook once he got back to the caravan.

O’Connor then went back to the police station and broke in for a second time in the hope of finding a police radio which worked and was caught as he searched a locker room.

He had gone to the nick after a night out drinking at pubs in Totnes and broke in after using the exterior telephone to ask to see someone, only to be told there was nobody there.

He filmed himself on his phone during the first break-in, saying: "I’m Russell O’Connor, this is Totnes police station. They are all asleep."

He could be heard muttering "Holy S**t" to himself as he tried and failed to gain entry to a computer terminal in the Sergeant’s room.

He then took handcuffs, a can of Captor spray, an extendable baton, two torches, a police fleece, a velcro backed police badge, a lock picking kit, a palmtop computer, and the keys to a police car.

He was actually wearing the police issue fleece when he was arrested during the second raid.

Jobless ex shopkeeper O’Connor, also known as Bunce, 36, of East Pool Park, Redruth, admitted two counts of burglary, having the baton and spray as offensive weapons, and personal possession of cannabis.

His case was adjourned for a psychiatric report by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court and he was remanded in custody.

Mr Ed Bailey, prosecuting, said O’Connor had been drinking at the Dartmouth Inn in Totnes and brooding over a failed relationship before he went to the police station at 1.57am.

He used the phone to ask to see someone and when he was told the station was empty he left the phone off the hook and walked around tapping windows and trying to open doors.

He broke in through an aluminium door which had an electronic entry system and a mortice lock, in which pieces of metal were found, suggesting it had been picked.

O’Connor entered the station at 2.17am and remained inside for 28 minutes, during which stole the items and filmed himself.

Mr Bailey said: "He recorded his search on his mobile phone and as he attempted to gain access to the police computer in the sergeant’s room.

"He could be heard saying he was looking for a smart card and muttering ’Holy Shit’ to himself."

He went back to his caravan near the Brutus Bridge and then back to the police station, where he broke in again at 3.49am but was found by two officers who returned without realising he was in there.

He was arrested wearing the police issue fleece and with the handcuff key, baton and spray in his pocket. The rest of the kit was recovered from his caravan.

Mr Bailey said: "We submit that a burglary of a police station compromises the efficient running of the local constabulary and of particular concern was the theft of sensitive items and attempting to access the police computer."

Mr Paul Dentith, defending, said O’Connor went to the police station because he was in a state of mental turmoil and wanted help.

He said: "This is a quite a bizarre case. Most criminals don’t want to be inside a police station. They want to get out, but he wanted to get in to speak to someone."