A BURGLAR has been jailed for three years after being busted thanks to DNA on a fizzy drink bottle and a car tracker.
Dominic Francis, 23, had denied one charge of burglary in Sible Hedingham and one of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent in Braintree.
But he was found guilty by a jury following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court last Wednesday*29*.
Francis, of High Street North, Newham, was sentenced to three years in jail for burglary and 12 weeks for taking the vehicle, to run concurrently.
The owner of a £50,000 Audi Q5, reported it missing from his home in Summerfields, Sible Hedingham, at 8am on November 21, 2014.
A tracker in the car was activated, which led police to an address in Loughton two hours later.
There, they found the Audi and a Ford Focus that had been stolen from an address in Marlborough Road, Braintree, six days earlier on November 15.
Francis’ DNA was found on a fizzy drink bottle recovered from the Focus.
CCTV images showed both vehicles were at a petrol station in Stansted on November 21 and Francis driving the Audi.
Investigating officer Dc Christopher Sedgwick, of Braintree CID, said: "I am pleased with the sentence handed out by the judge.
"It serves as a warning to burglars that we will catch you and put you before the courts.”
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