A BURGLAR has been jailed for three years after being busted thanks to DNA on a fizzy drink bottle and a car tracker.

Dominic Francis, 23, had denied one charge of burglary in Sible Hedingham and one of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent in Braintree.

But he was found guilty by a jury following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court last Wednesday*29*.

Francis, of High Street North, Newham, was sentenced to three years in jail for burglary and 12 weeks for taking the vehicle, to run concurrently.

The owner of a £50,000 Audi Q5, reported it missing from his home in Summerfields, Sible Hedingham, at 8am on November 21, 2014.

A tracker in the car was activated, which led police to an address in Loughton two hours later.

There, they found the Audi and a Ford Focus that had been stolen from an address in Marlborough Road, Braintree, six days earlier on November 15.

Francis’ DNA was found on a fizzy drink bottle recovered from the Focus.

CCTV images showed both vehicles were at a petrol station in Stansted on November 21 and Francis driving the Audi.

Investigating officer Dc Christopher Sedgwick, of Braintree CID, said: "I am pleased with the sentence handed out by the judge.

"It serves as a warning to burglars that we will catch you and put you before the courts.”