A BURGLAR who preyed on vulnerable residents has been jailed.

Ashley Fairhurst broke into a Bishop Auckland home in May and stole a wallet before trying to use a bank card within it to buy cigarettes.

The 31-year-old, of Lambton Road, Ferryhill, also stole a car in the days leading up to the burglary.

The car was located by traffic officers within four hours of it being reported stolen and Fairhurst was identified on CCTV by neighbourhood officers from Ferryhill.

Earlier this month , Fairhurst was sentenced to 18 months in prison for burglary, fraud by false representation and theft of a motor vehicle when he appeared at Durham Crown Court.

An application has also been made for a Criminal Behaviour Order against Fairhurst which is due to be heard at court at a later date.

Speaking about the sentence, Neighbourhood Inspector Mike Sammut, said: “Fairhurst is a prolific offender who often targets the elderly and vulnerable in Ferryhill.

“It is good to know he will be behind bars and give the community some peace of mind.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054