A known 'vehicle interferer' took it one step further when he found a key and went on to burgle a house.

However, he was thwarted by a tracker on the mobile phone he took inside a bag, which led police right to him.

Aidan Luke Parkyn, of Church Lane, Trehaverne, Truro decided to try his luck at a property in St Austell, while he was in the town picking up his latest drugs hit at a different address.

Prosecutor Ed Bailey told Truro Crown Court that it was about 9.30pm on June 27 this year when the dog belonging to the victim had started barking as she watched television with her husband.

Upon investigating, they found one of the doors leading outside was wide open, and when they watched back CCTV and doorbell camera footage they discovered they had been burgled.

Looking for anything missing, they found that a dog walking bag belonging to the woman's 83-year-old mother had been stolen, complete with a mobile phone that contained a built-in tracker designed to support elderly people.

They later found car park change missing from one of their cars.

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Watching back the doorbell footage, police saw 26-year-old Parkyn trying the handles of three vehicles parked on the driveway.

He opened the door of one and took something out, before heading to the side of the house, later being shown holding something in his hands.

At around 10.15pm on the day of the theft, police tracked the mobile phone to St Austell Railway Station, where they found Parkyn lying on a bench.

One of the officers called the number of the phone, which started to ring while with Parkyn.

A search also found 0.4g of amphetamine and some needles.

Mr Bailey said Parkyn had 22 previous convictions for 50 offences, including another house burglary in 2020 for which he went to prison for 12 months.

Robin Smith, defending, described Parkyn as having a "raging drug habit."

He said the defendant was "quite relieved" to be taking into custody after arrest, explaining: "He's worked hard in the intervening 65 days to detoxing with a methadone prescription and he's quite proud he was able to come off the methadone fairly quickly."

Mr Smith said Parkyn was in St Austell picking up his next lot of drugs, adding: "At the time he committed the offences he says he was 'completely off his head'.

"He says he's primarily a motor vehicle interferer. He happened to spot these vehicles, thought the window of one was ajar and he found one unlocked and discovered not only cash but also the key to the side door of the house."

Parkyn was before the court for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to burglary of a house, possession of amphetamine and two counts of theft.

Judge Robert Linford told him: "Very often it is said that a burglary is as much an offence against the person as it is against property, because once someone's property has been entered they feel unsafe in that house. They're scared. This case is no exception."

He described Parkyn's previous record as "appalling" and sentenced him to 18 months in prison, taking into account his guilty plea.

Judge Linford said he must serve half of it before serving the rest on remand. On going down to the cells, Parkyn apologised for his actions from the dock.