TWO “third strike” house burglars caught in a stolen red Audi A3 in Bradford after snapping a door lock to steal jewellery from a couple’s home have been locked up by Bradford Crown Court.

Mark Griffin, 29, and Callum Warne-Cleave, 19, went “tooled up” to the home in Cloverdale, Shelf, at 6.30pm on March 5.

They sawed through the casing round the door and snapped off the lock after the householders had left the property secured and the alarms switched on.

The pair stole a jewellery box and loose items of jewellery that they carried away in a pillow case, prosecutor Louise Pryke said yesterday. The total value of the haul was £577.

At 7.30pm that day, the stolen red Audi A3, on false plates, was followed by police on to Fremantle Grove in Tyersal, Bradford.

The defendants ran off and were chased and caught. The stolen jewellery was found in the vehicle along with mole grips and gloves.

Griffin and Warne-Cleave, both of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the burglary and to dishonestly handling the stolen Audi. Griffin admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance. He also pleaded guilty to burgling a house in Woodhall Croft, Stanningley, Pudsey, the previous day.

Mrs Pryke told the court that Griffin and two others arrived at the address at 2pm in the Audi that was taken in a robbery on January 29. The males had balaclavas, gloves and tools.

They made an untidy search of the property and got away with items worth £5,400 including bracelets, a wedding ring and a diamond ring.

The burglars made good their escape by climbing over iron gates.

The court heard that both defendants were “third strike” house burglars.

Griffin had 20 previous convictions for 35 offences and Warne-Cleave 24 convictions for 60 offences.

Griffin was sentenced to three years and eight months imprisonment and banned from driving for 44 months.

Warne-Cleave was sent to a young offender institution for two years and nine months.

Both were remanded in custody before the hearing. Griffin was sentenced on a video link to HMP Leeds and Warne-Cleave on a link to HMP Doncaster.

Griffin’s previous convictions included robbery, possession of a knife, theft, burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

He had been at large for six years after being wanted on recall to prison after breaking the conditions of his licence.

Warne-Cleave was described as a “prolific burglar” with convictions for robbery, assault, criminal damage and breach of an Ant-Social Behaviour Order.

Allan Armbrister, Griffin’s barrister, conceded he had “an appalling record.”

He had pleaded guilty to the offences against the background of the coronavirus regime in prison that sees inmates locked up for all but 30 minutes a day.

Patrick Palmer, for Warne-Cleave, said he had ADHD and his life had been turned upside down by a series of tragic bereavements.

He returned to drug misuse and ran up a debt to his dealer who demanded repayment.

Judge Jonathan Rose said that house burglars not only deprived their victims of valuable property but items of sentimental worth. They were left emotionally distressed after their homes had been invaded.