POLICE have warned travelling thieves they will be caught if they operate in the region.

The warning came two days after a gang of four burglars was jailed for a series of thefts at elderly people's homes in the Darlington area.

Two of the burglars were from Hemel Hempstead, one from Stockton and one was from Middlesex.

They were each jailed at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday for between three and five years.

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Ian Phillips, of Darlington police, warned that burglars and bogus officials who travelled to the area would be caught.

He said: "We were very pleased with the sentence that this gang received. All the victims were single elderly people and were very shaken up by what happened to them. They were despicable crimes.

"We caught one of this gang when she was still in the area but we had to work with other police forces to get the others."

Det Insp Phillips said travelling thieves targeting areas away from their homes was a national problem.

He said: "These thieves think they won't get caught if they commit crimes and then leave the area. But I want to warn these criminals that me and my team will do everything in our power to catch them - they will not get away with preying on our old and vulnerable residents.