A burglar broke into a charity shop and stole around £450 worth of goods before he was "overcome with guilt" and abandoned the items at the scene.
Michael Gage, of no fixed address, broke into the British Heart Foundation premises on Blandford Street, Sunderland, in April.
The 35-year-old bagged a number of valuables at the store, leaving a trail of blood after cutting his hand when he smashed his way inside.
But when police arrived they found the blood-stained scene and the goods, which had been abandoned.
DNA collected from the scene led officers to Gage, who was arrested and told police that he had "realised what he had done" while he was carrying out the raid.
On Friday, he pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for six months.
Detective constable Neil Swainston, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was an unsophisticated burglary which saw Gage smash his way into a city centre shop and leave a trail of clues behind.
“While his conscience may have ultimately got the better of him, clearly this type of behaviour is totally unacceptable – and at a time when everyone is pulling together, it is particularly abhorrent that someone would target a charity which relies on the support of volunteers and the community.
“Gage’s actions were selfish and unlawful – and he now begins a spell behind bars. I sincerely hope he uses this time to reflect on how his behaviour can adversely affect others.
“His conviction came as a result of some brilliant work from our forensic team who were able to provide irrefutable evidence that proved Gage was responsible, as well as the detectives who pulled together the case.
“I would like to reassure businesses and all retail premises in the city that officers continue to proactively patrol our streets every single day in order to take swift and robust action against any perpetrators.”
