The offences took place in Harlow, Roydon, Buckhurst Hill, and Broxbourne during a three week period between 5 and 26 February this year.
The offences also included spending more than £1,700 on a stolen credit card as well as trying to break into several vehicles.
Officers were able to identify the man responsible – 29 year-old Michael Nicos – through studying more than a dozen pieces of CCTV as well as studying data from automatic number plate recognition cameras.
He was arrested on 1 May and later charged with seven counts of attempted burglary, three counts of fraud, two counts of theft from a motor vehicle, two counts of vehicle interference, two counts of burglaries, and one count each of theft, theft of motor vehicle.
Appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court the following day, Nicos, of Caledonian Road, London N7, pleaded guilty to the charges and at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday 9 October he was sentenced to a total of five years in prison.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Alexander Brown said: “Michael Nicos is a prolific offender who has no respect for other people’s property.
“He carried out a string of offences across a wide area in west Essex and east Hertfordshire.
“Fortunately, due to the amount of evidence we were able to compile against him he had no choice but to plead guilty.
“When someone breaks into, or tries to break into, your home it can leave you feeling violated and unsafe in a place which should be your sanctuary.
“When this happens we work hard to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”