A CAREER burglar was jailed for three and-a-half years for a total of 47 burglaries involving property worth almost £50,000.

Sean Crowshaw was tracked down through fingerprints for two burglaries, one committed with Robert Ryan, and helped police with 45 other break-ins.

Crowshaw was so helpful to police that they were able to solve 15 burglaries where there was no evidence pointing towards Crowshaw.

His record showed that he had 31 previous convictions for burglaries over many years and had already served an 18 month jail sentence for burglary.

Crowshaw, aged 31, of Colshaw Close, Radcliffe, and Robert Ryan, aged 21, of Victoria Street, Radcliffe, appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentence.

He was sentenced for one solo burglary, one joint burglary with Ryan and he also asked for 45 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Ryan was jailed for a total of 15 months for burglary with Crowshaw and for one attempted burglary. He had four previous convictions.

Escaped

Prosecutor Vanessa Thomson said that Crowshaw had burgled a house in Bury Road, Radcliffe and stole £10 from a cash box but had escaped when disturbed by the householder returning home.

Last Julythe pair burgled a house in Whitefield, and stole an electric jigsaw, speakers, CD player and hi-fi and tapes worth a total of £974. Ryan attempted to burgle a house in Radcliffe, but a neighbour called the police after he heard suspicious noises. He was caught by police using the force helicopter and police dogs.

The court heard that Crowshaw had been a career burglar for many years and had decided not to work for a living.

He realised that he had caused misery to those he had burgled and had co-operated fully with police in helping them solve 15 burglaries where no evidence was linked to him.

Ryan had admitted his involvement to police when first questioned. His offence had been in the daytime, involved no confrontation and no ransacking of people's property.