A Norfolk burglar stole £5,000 worth of items from a house after crawling through a dog flap.

Ben Hatto, 43, from Great Yarmouth, broke into the house in the Cambridgeshire village of Impington in June 2021 while the victim was out food shopping.

He and fellow burglar Winston Papalaka, 28, ransacked rooms before stealing items including a laptop, three watches, diamond and sapphire earrings, a Tiffany gold ring, Euros and cash.

On returning home, the victim noticed the dog flap on the back door had been slightly damaged.

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The pair were seen acting suspiciously with one neighbour recognising Papalaka as they left.

A second neighbour noticed jewellery laying on the ground after it had been discarded as they fled. 

Items sent for forensic tests discovered Hatto’s fingerprints.

Hatto, of North Denes Road, admitted the offence at a previous hearing and is due to be sentenced on September 13.

Papalaka, from south London, denied the offence but was found guilty after standing trial at Peterborough Crown Court. He has been jailed for four years and six months.