A SCREWDRIVER turned up the heat on a bungling burglar when police recovered his DNA from the handle.

The tool was left at the scene of a jewellery raid at a house in Highfield Road, Lydney, at the end of August.

And it was linked to Jonjo Thompson, 28, of Wymans Road, Cheltenham, who was jailed last Friday (January 24) at Gloucester Crown Court to two years and four months.

Police were called to Highfield Road after the homeowner returned to find their property had been broken into and ransacked, and a large quantity of jewellery stolen.

Officers noticed that a screwdriver had been discarded inside the house which was sent for testing by Gloucestershire Police’s Forensic Services team and resulted in the recovery of DNA linking prolific burglar Thompson to the incident.

Police also investigated a burglary in Woodmancote near Cheltenham on the afternoon of October 27 where a raider had rifled though the householder’s possesions and stolen sentimental jewellery items.

Again officers linked Thompson to the crime after his DNA was recovered from a garden fork discarded at the scene. The positive forensic matches led to a wanted appeal being issued for Thompson in mid-December and he was arrested a few days later before being charged with both of the burglaries.

Thompson admitted both burglaries in court, and Crime Scene Coordinator Martin Cuffe said: “This is yet another excellent example of the joined up working within Gloucestershire Constabulary, and demonstrates our commitment to the investigation of burglary offences.

“The identification and recovery of the forensic evidence at the crime scenes, which linked Thompson to these offences; the work to bring Thompson into custody, and the extensive work of the investigating officers all contributed towards this successful prosecution and a custodial sentence for a prolific offender.

“This intervention will prevent Thompson from committing further offences, and in turn will help keep the people of Gloucestershire safe.”

Detective Sergeant Darren Godwin added: “Breaking into someone’s home and invading their privacy is an unspeakable crime and one that needs to be dealt with professionally and robustly.

“These charges and subsequent convictions will show Gloucestershire homeowners that we will leave no stone unturned to detect and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“With this sentence Thompson won’t be in a position to cause anymore misery to the communities of Gloucestershire.”