Two men have been jailed for a string of burglaries across Sandwell, Handsworth and Perry Barr between last November and January this year.

Detectives linked the pair to an attempted break in West Bromwich on 27 November and two burglaries in Smethwick on 6 December and 3 January, where electronic items were stolen.

On 6 January the occupant of a house in Handsworth disturbed one of the men who fled after smashing conservatory doors and on 9 January, a teenage girl was so scared to find the men in her house, she jumped from a first floor window onto concrete injuring her foot. Taking refuge at a neighbours, the girl noted the robbers getaway vehicle and police were called.

Their Vauxhall Vectra was stopped by traffic cops sometime later and evidence of the burglaries was found in the car − notably a screwdriver and a ruby earring taken from the property in Perry Barr.

Detectives uncovered a wealth of evidence to link the pair to each of the five crimes, including CCTV footage showing distinctive clothing, forensic evidence and mobile phone cell-sight data putting them in the areas of the burglaries at the appropriate times.

They had little choice other than to admit their guilt and at Birmingham Crown Court on 28th February, 32-year-old Marin Stefan and 20-year-old Albert Hrudu, both of no fixed address, were sentenced to four and a half years and four years respectively.