THE criminal career of a pair of bungling fruit machine bandits came unstuck when they took selfies of themselves while committing their crimes.

The inept duo used balaclavas to conceal their identities as they roamed across the UK breaking into gambling machines.

But their disguises proved completely pointless when, after pocketing the cash, they decided to photograph themselves celebrating, posing and grinning.

And when they were caught by a team from North Yorkshire Police more than a thousand pound coins were found in their car, along with £2,000 in notes, a screwdriver and the balaclavas.

“We knew we hit the jackpot when we investigated these lemons,” said Detective Chief Inspector Matt Walker of the North Yorkshire force.

Twenty-four-year-old Daniel Mervin William Hutchinson and Benjamin James Robinson, 29, were nabbed as part of the force’s long-running Operation Hawk, an operation aimed at cross-border criminals using North Yorkshire’s extensive road network.

Their car had initially failed to stop for officers, who had spotted it driving at speed at Gargrave, near Skipton.

And a search of the white Vauxhall Insignia quickly revealed what the two had been up to.

The pair, both from Skegness in Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal when they appeared at Bradford Crown Court late last year and now both have been sentenced by the same court.

Robinson was jailed for 32 months, while his accomplice Hutchinson received a six-month sentence, suspended for two years.

DCI Walker said afterwards: “These offenders carried out a string of crimes with no thought for the businesses they were targeting – but ultimately their greed, arrogance and affinity for ‘selfies’ proved to be their downfall.

“We’re pleased that our operation to target cross-border criminals continues to disrupt the activities of offenders such as Hutchinson and Robinson.

“The investigation showed that that they were targeting fruit machines around the country.

“It sends out a clear message that anyone travelling into North Yorkshire to commit crime will be caught and brought to justice.”