Escape Leyhill Prison after being jailed for breaking into almost 1,000 cars spent more than a year in sunny Spain and then flew back into Britain without being detected, a court heard.
Andrew Winter then quickly returned to crime - stealing a £1,500 generator in the latest of his many offences, Gloucester Crown Court was told today.
Winter, 32, of Thorsbury Avenue, Matson, Gloucester, admitted escaping from the prison in November 2006 and stealing the Honda generator on January 21 this year.
He was sent back to prison for 18 months by Recorder Shamim Qureshi.
The court had been told that in September 2006 Winter was jailed for two and a half years when he admitted handling stolen goods and asked for 915 offences of stealing from cars to be considered.
Police estimate he has been responsible for £302,000 worth of crimes - but because he is now penniless the court ordered that he will have just £1 confiscated from him under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Recorder Qureshi ordered him to pay the £1 within 28 days - telling him that if he does come into more money he will be liable to have it confiscated as well.
Jailing Winter for 18 months, 12 months for escape and six months for stealing the generator, Recorder Qureshi told him he had breached the trust placed in him at Leyhill.