A POLICE helicopter was scrambled to track a stolen Ducati motorbike later found at a Southampton man’s house.

When police raided Jacek Czarnota’s home in Broadlands Road they found a stolen Ducati in the back of a Ford Transit van which had no registration plates, a court heard.

Just 40 minutes before, the motorbike believed to be worth between £8,000 and £10,000 had been parked outside a residential property in Winchester.

Prosecution barrister, Mark Gadsden told how the bike had been fitted with a tracking device.

He said: “Police officers and a helicopter were scrambled and attended the [Czarnota’s] address."

Mr Gadsden added: “In the rear garden of the defendant’s address they found a quad bike."

It had been stolen 48 hours earlier from a communal car park in Weston Lane, Southampton.

Meanwhile, a search of Czarnota’s garage revealed a spare set of quad bike wheels that had been stolen during the same incident.

Mr Gadsden went on to say there had been “extensive damage” to the Ducati in the region of around £4,000.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court, Czarnota was charged with two counts of handling stolen goods to which he pleaded guilty “at the eleventh hour”.

He also admitted breaching a suspended sentence order which he had been given for a previous burglary offence.

Defending, Jodie Mittell argued for a suspended sentence to be imposed.

She voiced Czarnota’s concerns about not being able to provide for his family financially if jailed.

Ms Mittell also mentioned prison conditions during the covid crisis.

Mr Recorder Nicholas Medcroft QC jailed him for 21 months.

Once his sentence is served, he will be released on licence.