A pair of notorious burglars are behind bars today despite making strenuous efforts not to leave any evidence for police. 

Dennis Byrom, 45, and Mark Wakefield, 41, both of Castle Rise, Runcorn, were spotted at the property on Campbell Avenue, about a mile from where they lived, at 1.24pm on May 28 while the people who lived there were away on holiday.

Byrom had pulled his sleeve over his hand and tried the doorbell – prompting a witness to call the police.

Wakefield, wearing black gloves, then climbed over a side gate and let Byrom in.

Mandy Nepal, prosecuting, told Chester Crown Court they then left the scene before returning and spending slightly longer round the back, before returning again and walking off down Park Road.

A police van arrived at 1.33pm and the officer on board spotted the men walk towards a silver Audi TT parked nearby.

The pair were sent down today at Court 1, Chester Crown Court.

Byrom threw his jumper in the back and the two criminals got inside, Byrom in the driver’s seat and Wakefield in the passenger seat.

The police officer recognised Wakefield and arrested them.

Wakefield had black gloves and was wearing a torch attached to his trousers with wire.

Another PC searched the Audi’s passenger footwell and found mole grips, a crowbar, long-nose pliers, a screwdriver, bolster chisel and hammer.

Byrom’s jumper had gloves in the pockets.

Police discovered there had been an attempt to force the back door and forensics investigators matched the marks on the door handle to the grooves on the mole grips – a type of pliers – found in the car footwell and that were used to try to yank off the door handle.

They initially pleaded not guilty to the charges put to them but later admitted attempted burglary and going equipped for burglary.

Wakefield had 20 convictions for 43 offences and Byrom had 11 for 29, both sets of offences dating back to the 1990s.

Both have previously committed dwelling burglary.

Lloyd Morgan, defending Byrom, said the defendant had been ‘affected by the scourge of heroin early on’ in life but was now back on a methadone prescription.

Michael Davies, representing Wakefield, said his client is now motivated to deal with his drug addiction so his ex-partner will let him see his young son.

He added that Wakefield said the burglary had not gone ahead because they had decided not to go through with it.

Both defendants received 25% credit for their guilty pleas.

Judge Nicholas Woodward sentenced each to 18 months in prison, calling the burglary attempt ‘clearly a premeditated and planned offence’.

He said: “You both have bad records and previous convictions for burglary of a dwelling.

“This was an attempt, I take that into account.”

Search online for support in beating drug addiction including at www.talktofrank.com and with the NHS .

Call 101 to report a non-urgent burglary or 999 for burglaries in progress.