A BURGLAR who fled with a pair of trainers after failing to rip a television from a wall has been jailed for two years and five months.

Aaron Francis Phillips, 37, of Meadow Close, Burley, was jailed at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday March 6 after admitting a charge of burglary.

At around 12.30pm on Wednesday January 1 Phillips was seen on CCTV to try the doors of a property in Windham Road, Bournemouth. He was unable to get in through the doors and eventually climbed in through a kitchen window.

He then attempted to remove a television but was unable to due to a cable attaching it to the wall and picked up a pair of trainers before leaving the property with them.

Two residents who were upstairs in the property went out after him but were unable to catch up with the defendant.

Phillips was linked to the scene through forensic examination and was then identified through the CCTV. He was arrested on Friday January 31 at his home address.

The defendant also admitted a theft charge in relation to a shoplifting offence at the Bookends book store in High Street, Christchurch on November 14 last year. He was sentenced to one month in prison for that offence, which will be served concurrent to his burglary sentence.

Phillips was again identified from CCTV.

Police Constable Chris Raspini, of Dorset Police’s Priority Crime Team, said: “I am pleased that through our investigations we were able to identify Aaron Phillips as the man responsible for these offences so he could face justice at court.

“We appreciate the distress that can be caused by having an intruder force their way into your home and we will do all we can to ensure those who commit burglaries are identified and held accountable for their actions.”