A burglar’s muddy footprints led to his capture and a four year jail sentence for stealing from two neighbouring homes.

Footmarks that forensic experts linked to Matthew Wilkins were found in the kitchen of a house in The Ridge Way, South Croydon, after a burglary.

The victim found some cash and a wallet had been stolen from the kitchen.

And police called later that day to a break in at the neighbouring address found muddy footmarks on the living room floor.

The homeowner had noticed them before he went to bed after midnight the previous day but did not think anything of it.

When he woke up the next day he found that cash from two wallets had been stolen.

And DNA swabs taken from glove marks on the kitchen window of one of the homes showed that the DNA belonged to Wilkins, of Thornton Road, Croydon.

The 44-year-old was jailed at the Old Bailey on October 2 for the burglaries that took place overnight on January 30.

Investigating officer trainee Detective Constable Tony Dayes said: "Wilkins has a long history of burgling in the Croydon area, so this sentence is good news for the residents of Croydon.

"Thanks to the excellent work of the forensic examiners and the Crown Prosecution Service, we were able to capture the DNA evidence that placed Wilkins at the scene and because of this he will be off the streets for a considerable amount of time."