A judge today sentenced a prolific burglar to four and a half years in jail. Thomas Croll, 35, burgled his neighbours' homes in the Mile Cross area of Norwich, stealing items totalling more than £10,000 before being caught when he broke a leg trying to make his escape, Norwich Crown Court heard.

A judge today sentenced a prolific burglar to four and a half years in jail.

Thomas Croll, 35, burgled his neighbours' homes in the Mile Cross area of Norwich, stealing items totalling more than £10,000 before being caught when he broke a leg trying to make his escape, Norwich Crown Court heard.

David Fuller returned home to find Croll leaving a room with a hammer and screwdriver he had used to break in. When Croll tried to escape, he broke a leg and was found by Mr Fuller lying on the pavement nearby.

Andrew Baxter, prosecuting, said: “When Croll was arrested by police he appeared to be under the influence of drugs.”

Croll, of Gresham Road, Norwich, admitted the burglary of Mr Fuller's home and asked for 12 other burglaries in the Mile Cross area to be taken into consideration. The court heard that Croll had a number of previous convictions for burglary dating back to 1994. He also asked for a burglary of a garden shed to be considered.

Jailing him, Judge Peter Jacobs told him: “These are burglaries taking place in Mile Cross over a period of three to four months involving a lot of people who could be described as being neighbours of yours. You must know the trauma you put them through.”

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said: “While some may say he is a career burglar, he is not advanced in the methods he uses. He commits offences to fund his habit of heroin use.”

He added Croll now wanted to be free of any drug addiction.