A TEENAGE burglar who broke into his girlfriend's parents' home in Oulton and drove off in their car has been locked up for 12 months.

Henry Spencer's girlfriend was on holiday with her parents in November when he broke in through a window at their home in Hollydene Close, off Sands Lane, and stole property including a safe, bank cards, a jewellery box, two laptop computers and a mobile phone, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said Spencer also took the keys to a car owned by the family and drove the vehicle to Peterborough with two friends before abandoning it.

Spencer, 18, of Swonnells Walk, Oulton Broad, pleaded guilty to burglary and taking a car without authority and was sentenced to 12 months' detention in a young offenders' institution.

Sentencing him, Judge Rupert Overbury said: 'You and other young men like you must realise that if you break into other people's homes, breach their security, cause damage and steal their personal property you will be punished.'

Also before the court were two 17-year-old youths, who cannot be named because of their age, who admitted allowing themselves to be carried in a vehicle taking without authority.

They were both made the subject of 12-month community orders. One of them was also ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work in the community and the other was ordered to 60 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Sadd told the court that some of the items stolen during the burglary were later found in a bush in Peterborough.

Andrew Thompson, for Spencer, described the offences as 'mean' and said there was some history between the defendant and his girlfriend's father. However, he said the incident was out of character for his client.