A BURGLAR who struck when the victim left his door open took his car keys but did not steal the vehicle, a court was told.

John McDougall, 42, was spotted helping himself to a jacket from the car, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Police found a torch lying on the path, a pair of gloves and a DVD player taken from the house hidden outside a garage, near where the defendant was stopped.

Mc Dougall, of Brownhill Avenue, Burnley, admited burglary and theft. He was given 51 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, with 180 hours unpaid work, by Judge Beverley Lunt.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said a householder left his front door open and went to bed.

The defendant crept into his premises and took the keys for his car. McDougall also stole a DVD player from the living room and a jacket hanging on the door.

Miss Statham said a witness had seen suspicious goings-on and had called the police.

She said officers arrived at the scene and they spoke to the defendant, who appeared to have dropped something. They searched him and found the car key for the car in a jacket pocket.

Miss Statham said McDougall had 58 previous conviuctions, some for burglaries and had been to jail.