Bungling burglar leaves police a picture of himself

Link : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/041103/323/f5vi9.html

LONDON (AFP) - It was not the most difficult case Britain's police have ever faced. The burglar, having broken into a house, not only dropped some of his loot nearby but also abandoned a keyring bearing his name and photograph.

Jordan Barnes, 20, was drunk and walking home in Sunderland, northeast England, when he stole cash, alcohol and two mobile phones from a local house, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Wednesday.

However, soon afterwards Barnes managed to drop one of the phones as well as his own key fob, emblazoned with a clear head-and-shoulders mugshot and his surname.

These were handed in to police, who dialled the number on the mobile phone listed as "home", spoke to a member of the family who had been burgled and -- after brief consideration -- set off in pursuit of Barnes.

He was traced to his home and arrested, and later jailed for three years after admitting burglary, the newspaper said.

A spokesman for the local Northumbria Police force was modest when quizzed about the case.

"It wasn't too difficult to figure out who was responsible for this one," he said.

"Barnes made things easy for our officers by leaving not just his name but also a photograph behind."