DNA found on the airbag of a £52,000 Audi that was stolen in Bromsgrove and then crashed led to the downfall of a burglar who has been jailed for three years.

Benjamin Wilson, 24, this week admitted a charge of handling the vehicle, which he crashed, leaving his DNA on the airbag and allowing police to trace him.

Wilson also pleaded guilty to a car key burglary in Worcester in which he and three accomplices - brothers Shaun, Oliver and Lee Cooper, aged 20, 19 and 18 - stole a BMW and Mercedes.

Judge Robert Juckes QC at Worcester Crown Court jailed Wilson for 36 months and the Cooper brothers for 30 months each. They must also all pay a £170 victim surcharge.

The four men all admitted burglary at the home in Cartwright Avenue, Worcester, on September 28, 2018 and theft of a BMW and Mercedes, the stolen cars driven off from the house in convoy.

The Mercedes was recovered on October 3 on cloned plates when Wilson, Oliver and Lee Cooper were arrested at the scene of another burglary, an offence for which they were all serving custodial sentences. The BMW was never recovered.

The gang stole two sets of car keys from a handbag and stole a BMW valued at between £10,000 and £15,000 and the Mercedes valued at between £15,000 and £18,000.

Wilson alone also faced the handling charge in relation to the car stolen in Bromsgrove.

The court heard that a car key burglary took place in Cavendish Close, Marlbrook, involving the theft of an Audi S Line worth £52,000 at 3.45am on September 9 last year.

Several hours later, the Audi was involved in a chase, crashed and the airbag was deployed.

Wilson was identified from DNA left on the airbag but declined to be interviewed by police.

Judge Juckes said: "This is carefully planned, well thought out targeting of people's houses and people's motorcars."