A BURGLAR caught twice on camera as he broke into two Whitehaven town centre properties just minutes apart has been jailed for more than two-and-a-half years.

Paul Joseph Carr, 27, was initially confronted by the occupier of a flat above a Tangier Street takeaway.

That householder had been in bed with his wife at about 6-.6.30am on June 13, and was woken as heavily-convicted Carr crept towards their bedroom.

The burglar mumbled something before fleeing with £275 and a set of car keys, but was caught on CCTV which showed him arriving at - and leaving - the flat.

He struck again a short time later, sneaking into the private area of a fish and chip shop on the same street and stealing the handbag of a woman minutes after she had entered the building to commence cleaning duties.

Repeat offender Carr - a man with more than 100 previous crimes, including burglary, on his record - was initially approached in the town centre by the woman's husband, who had seen him on the shop's CCTV.

After running off, the crook was detained by police soon after.

Carr, of Devon Road, Hensingham, Whitehaven, admitted carrying out the two burglaries, and was jailed for 876 days at Carlisle Crown Court on Monday.

Judge James Adkin said of the flat break-in: "Any such burglary is obviously immensely distressing for the occupants who feel their homes have been violated by you creeping in and committing offences."