A JUDGE jailed two thieves who spend the early hours "mooching" around looking for cars and homes to break into.

Hartlepool pair Carl Parvin and Danny Andrews were both involved in an attempted break-in at a town centre flat.

Parvin put a carrier bag over a CCTV camera at the Titan House complex on York Road so they would not be caught.

The 25-year-old was already on bail for interfering with a Citroen C1 in Peterlee at 2.30am on August 30.

Teesside Crown Court heard he was also the subject of a 16-month suspended sentence for burglary.

Andrews, 21, was the subject of a six-month suspended sentence for attempted burglary.

A fortnight after the botched break-in at the flat, he committed a further three offences, the court heard.

At 3.30am on December 13, he was seen trying the door handles of two cars in Whin Meadows, Hartlepool.

He also entered a garage but stole nothing after being scared off by the householder.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield said he swiped a satellite navigation system from another car nearby.

Parvin, of no fixed abode, admitted attempted burglary and vehicle interference, and was jailed for 16 months.

Andrews admitted charges of attempted burglary, theft, burglary with intent to steal and vehicle interference.

Judge a Tony Briggs locked him up for 12 months after telling him: "You don't have an attractive record.

"Communities cannot tolerate people mooching around in the early hours, on the look-out for things to steal."

Jim Withyman, for Andrews, said he hoped to break a cycle of alcohol and drug misuse when he is released.

Parvin's lawyer, Andrew Teate, said he had accommodation problems after being kicked out of a half-way house.