A woman returned home only to find a brazen burglar inside her house who told her 'it's not your house'.
Antoni Adams, 33, told the woman he'd been inside her home 'all day' and had helped himself to food and drink from the fridge and cupboards.
But it was a can of Fosters he drank that eventually led to his arrest after cops were able to track him down due to his DNA being left on it, Chronicle Live reports.
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The resident said she returned to her home in Sunderland on the evening of 13 July 2020 to see Adams looking out through her window.
When she questioned what he was doing, he told her: "It's not your house, I've been here all day."
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Adams had spent several hours inside the property and had made himself a coffee, something to eat and then opened up a can of lager.
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Talk about making yourself at home, eh?
Police were able to get a DNA sample after swabbing the empty can and Adams was found.
He went on to admit burglary and was sentenced to 876 days in prison.
Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said: "When she arrived she noticed an open window and she saw a man looking out of her window directly at her.
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"She asked what on earth he was doing and he said 'It's not your house, I've been here all day'.
"He asked her not to phone the police but she did."
To gain access to the property, Adams had forced the lock on the door, he also damaged a table and gathered up handbags and purses as well as moving a deep fat fryer.
Talking about the impact on the resident, Hedworth said: "She said she was terrified and couldn't stay there in case he returned, at the end of last year at least.
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"She checked her handbags and purses and noticed her debit card was missing."
Speaking before he was sentenced, Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Robson, of Northumbria Police, said: "This is an incredibly intrusive crime and it must have been awful for the victim to return home and catch an intruder red-handed inside her flat.
"Unfortunately for Adams, in his desperation to get away after being disturbed, he left behind an empty can of Foster's that he had swiped from the fridge and drunk.
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"That allowed our brilliant forensic team to do what they do best - and it was only a matter of time before we could prove Adams' involvement irrefutably.
"We will not tolerate behaviour of this kind and make no apology for continuing to put burglars and thieves before the courts."
Featured Image Credit: Northumbria Police