Two burglars were caught on CCTV outside a home the day before it was raided.
Allan Jones and Peter Robinson broke into the house on Tourney Green in Warrington after they carried out a reconnaissance run on the property the previous day.
Jones, 66, of Freemont Road, Liverpool, and Robinson, 57, from Chatsworth Road, Ainsdale, stole a safe full of cash during the raid before fleeing from the scene.
But forensic evidence and CCTV footage revealed the pair had been in the area on both days and they were subsequently arrested.
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Cheshire Police said both men initially denied their involvement but detectives continued to gather evidence.
The pair were jailed on July 26 after pleading guilty at their first hearing at Liverpool Crown Court.
Robinson was sentenced to 27 months in prison while Jones was sentenced to three years in prison. Both men were also handed a £190 fine.
DC Michael McDermott said: “Both men denied the offence until they got to court and realised the weight of evidence against them.
“I hope our determination to put these men before the courts reassures you that we do take burglary seriously and we do investigate them tenaciously - and with a raft of technology available to us.
“I’d also like to thank those who spotted suspicious activity and reported it to us. It shows the importance of being vigilant and looking out for friends and neighbours by telling us about suspicious activity or something that doesn’t seem right.
“I hope this is goes as a warning to those thinking of committing crime in Cheshire that with the help of our communities we are a formidable force determined to make our county a no go area for criminals.”
