A BURGLAR who stole a parked car from outside a home before crashing it into a tree has been jailed.

Iain Saunders appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

The 25-year-old of no fixed abode was sentenced for burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

Prosecutors said that the incident took place at an address in Oxford in January of this year.

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A group of men burgled the house and made off with items including handbags, cash and car keys to a Mini which was parked outside.

Alerted to the break-in the householder called police and while on the phone the car was taken and driven off.

Police arrived soon after and found the car smashed into a tree nearby.

Saunders' DNA was discovered on the car's air bag on the steering wheel and most of the stolen items were found discarded in a nearby building yard.

In mitigation it was said that Saunders carried out the burglary because he didn't have any money for food or bills at the time.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Gledhill QC jailed him for a total of four years and Saunders was also disqualified from driving for five years.

He must also pay a statutory victim surcharge of £181.