A distraction burglar who befriended his victims in a bid to get inside their homes and then steal their cars has been jailed for three years.

Anthony Stephen Gardener, 30, of Eustace Crescent, in Wokingham, Berkshire, admitted charges of burglary and theft when he appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Friday.

Among the offences was the theft of a car and cash from a house in Lower Heyford, near Bicester.

Pc Mark Personius, of the Cherwell area priority crime team, said: “Gardener callously targeted his victims, lying and betraying them to get what he wanted.

“These were not opportunist offences, he intentionally set out to get into these people’s homes and steal their belongings.

“I hope this sentence sends out a strong message to burglars that they will be caught and brought to justice.”

Gardener admitted a distraction burglary in Southcote, Reading, when he offered to help an 85-year-old woman start her car in June last year.

He demanded £75 for the help so the woman gave him a lift to her house.

When she was distracted Gardener stole her Ford Fiesta car, which was found abandoned a week later in Fritwell, near Bicester.

Gardener also admitted stealing an Audi A4 and £220 cash from Lower Heyford the same month, in June 2008.

The court heard Gardener went to the house to repair the car’s air conditioning.

He asked to go inside the house and wash his hands but when the residents' backs were turned, he stole the money and the car.

Gardener was arrested after being stopped by police in the stolen Audi in Abingdon Road, Oxford, last July.

mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk