A BURGLAR has been jailed for three years after targeting three village homes in the space of a week.

Stephen Vincent, of Westwood Park, Great Bentley, admitted two offences of burglary and one offence of criminal damage after the crime spree in March last year.

Vincent, 46, appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Monday where he was ordered to serve the three year sentence.

The first incident saw concrete used to smash a glass door panel at the rear of a house in The Street, Capel St Mary, on March 13 at 11.30am.

Two days later a home in Grange Lane, Kesgrave, in Suffolk, was targeted.

A side window was forced open and a large amount of jewellery and commemorative coins were stolen.

Then just three days later on March 18 a home in Capel Road, Bentley, was burgled at around 2.45pm.

But Vincent was disturbed by the occupant and then ran off, empty-handed.

Detectives investigating the burglaries gathered forensic, witness and CCTV evidence which led to Stephen Vincent and his father, Sydney Vincent being arrested by police days later.

Police found a 1965 Winston Churchill minted silver coin, which had been stolen during the burglary at Grange Lane, in a car belonging to Vincent’s father.

Sydney Vincent, 72, of Alderlee, Stoke Park, Ipswich, was also charged in connection with the burglaries.

He admitted handling stolen property and was given a two year community order.

He was also ordered to undertake 50 hours of unpaid work.