A HOODED burglar who raided a newsagents was caught out because the owner rigged up the CCTV to store images on his home computer.

The move meant that Daniel Harper was caught even though the gang which burst into Ossy Food and News took the hard drive from the store's computer in an attempt to remove film evidence The owner of the shop, in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, gave his home computer footage to police and Harper was identified and given 18 months in custody.

Burnley Crown Court heard how homeless Harper, 18, made off with cigarettes and computer equipment to get cash for bed and breakfast.

Harper also pinched his girlfriend's mother's jewellery and other goods after she had allowed him to stay at their home in Blackburn Road, Accrington, at Christmas, the court was told.

The defendant, of no fixed address, admitted two counts of burglary and one of theft and was sent to a Young Offenders' Institution by Recorder Mukhtar Hussain, QC.

Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, said the owner locked his shop on February 4 and returned the next morning to find cigarettes had been taken.

Police had been alerted to the burglary by neighbours who saw two people going in and out of the shop carrying property at 1am.

A third acted as lookout and the trio were wearing hoods up to hide their identities. After Harper and an accomplice were identified on CCTV, police went to the other man's address and recovered cigarettes, a laptop computer and other items.

The prosecutor said the accomplice's girlfriend, who was the tenant, told officers Harper and her boyfriend had discussed committing a burglary as Harper needed cash to fund his bed and breakfast accommodation.

She claimed both were drunk, left about midnight and returned about 40 minutes later, carrying bags of cigarettes and tobacco. The girlfriend said the pair returned later with some more cigarettes and a laptop.

Harper was arrested and made no comment. He had previous convictions for burglary.