TWO teenagers have admitted taking part in a burglary in which car keys were removed from a property, before the vehicle, itself, was driven away.

The two 17-year-olds appeared at a plea hearing at Durham Crown Court, jointly charged with burglary in Eden Vale, Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, in which car and house keys were taken, on February 26.

They are also jointly charged with taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, relating to a Hyundai i10.

They each pleaded guilty to both charges.

Vic Laffey, representing both, told the court: “Both these young men plead guilty on the basis it was a joint enterprise, and they weren’t the ones who entered the property.”

Mr Laffey said they are both criminally inexperienced.

An alleged adult co-accused, a three-strike burglar, is to go on trial in August.

Judge Christopher Prince said there was no reason why the two young defendants could not be sentenced at the youth court.

He remitted both to the youth court for sentence on a date to be fixed.