A GANG caught by police in the middle of a burglary spree have been sentenced to a year behind bars.

Mihai Atanasescu, 19, of Hibbert Road, Walthamstow, Eduard Nicolaie, 22, of Clifford Road, Walthamstow, and Rares Mora, 19, of Seymour Road, Leyton, were arrested after committing a series of burglaries in Ongar.

On October 9 this year, the gang attempted to break into a house in Long Fields, causing £1,000 of damage.

They then targeted a home in Rodney Road, breaking in and stealing a mobile phone, cash and a wallet.

A further address in Long Fields was also broken into by the gang with electrical items and a Ford Focus stolen.

When the car's owner reported the incident at 6.30am that morning, road policing officers and dog handlers were deployed along with a police helicopter and all three men were captured.

Atanasescu, Nicolaie, and Mora all pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and one of attempted burglary at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Atanasescu, and Mora were sentenced to one year's detention in a youth offenders' institute while Nicolaie was sentenced to one year's imprisonment.