TWO men have been jailed for more than 11 years for their involvement in a series of house burglaries that saw vehicles stolen at dead of night and people's possessions flogged off and pawned.

Thomas Gilmore, 26, was jailed for five and a half years and Kevin Midgley, 27, for five years and ten months after homes in the Keighley area were raided between January and May this year.

Gilmore, of Glen Lee Lane, Long Lee, Keighley, and Midgley, of Ward Street, Keighley, pleaded guilty to offences of burglary, attempted burglary, handling stolen goods and taking vehicles.

In the dock with them was Liam Anderson, 26, of Victoria Road, Keighley, and Alice Poole, 20, of Glen Lee Lane.

Anderson was jailed for two months for handling a £1,200 mountain bike, stolen on January 20 when a property in Harwood Crescent, Oakworth, was burgled.

Poole was sentenced to a 12 month community order, with a rehabilitation activity requirement, for handling three diamond rings burgled from a house in Keighley on February 11.

Gilmore and Midgley also admitted the offence after all three tried to pawn the rings in Bradford.

Midgley pleaded guilty to burgling an elderly couple's home in Lower Springhead, Oakworth, on the afternoon of January 19. He and another man took a handbag and jewellery box while the householder was taking her husband to hospital.

Midgley admitted an attempted break-in at a house in Red Holt Crescent, Ingrow, the following day. He was disturbed by the occupant after tampering with a door lock at 1.40am.

He struck again, with Gilmore, on May 12 when both tried to break into a house in Saxilby Road, Morton.

The pair, both on police bail, then crossed the road to a neighbouring property and fished the keys to a £10,000 Ford Fiesta out through the letterbox with a device made from a cane and a hook.

The vehicle was driven off and never recovered, prosecutor Louise Reevell told the court.

Gilmore admitted handling a coin collection stolen in a burglary at Church Street, Keighley, on January 20. It was found hidden in the airing cupboard at the address he shared with his girlfriend, Poole.

He also pleaded guilty to making off with a Nissan Juke on January 25. It was taken from a property in Goose Cote Lane, Oakworth, and found abandoned in Park Street after a police chase.

The court heard that all three men had been in custody for six months.

Judge Mark Savill said Anderson would be freed from prison immediately.

He also banned Gilmore and Midgley from driving for two years.