A BURGLAR was collared after his fingerprints were found on a can of lager he took from his victim’s fridge.

Andrew Rudd, who has previously served time for burglary, dropped his haul after being disturbed by the householder.

The fingerprints on the lager can found during the police inquiry led officers to 34-year-old Rudd. He later admitted burgling the house and admitted a second burglary 24 hours earlier.

Police have welcomed the three-year jail sentence given to Rudd and said it sends out “a clear message to criminals in relation to these repugnant crimes”.

Rudd, who has 45 previous convictions dating back nearly 20 years, has served jail terms for burglary, including a two-year sentence for burgling the home of an invalid in 1999.

He was also given a three-year jail term for burglary in 2004.

Rudd, of Cornwall Street, Hartlepool, was jailed for three years for his latest offences when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard how he burgled a house in Wolviston Road, Hartlepool, on October 5 as the occupants slept upstairs, but was disturbed by a barking dog and fled empty-handed.

Within 24 hours he burgled a house in Coleridge Avenue, Hartlepool, while the occupant worked on a computer.

After being discovered by the householder, Rudd fled from the house and made his getaway on a bicycle.

In his haste to evade the victim, he dropped a haul of stolen goods, which included DVDs, computer games, a mobile phone and the cans of lager.

Mr Recorder Thorp told Rudd his actions were “the worst kind of offences” and that such behaviour left people unable to feel safe in their own homes.

He said that he had followed Court of Appeal guidelines in imposing the custodial sentence for house burglary.

Detective Inspector Matt Walsh, of Hartlepool CID, said: “We welcome the three-year sentence because it continues to send a clear message to criminals in relation to these repugnant crimes and should they find themselves appearing at court then they can likewise expect similar sentences.

“Such sentences allow us to continue to drive down incidents of burglary dwelling and increase public confidence.”