Leon Lavelle and his accomplices carried out three distraction burglaries on elderly people in Cheshire in a month, by posing as a water-company workers.

The 18-year-old went into the homes of "vulnerable" victims and told them he needed to turn off the water. He then stole money and other items from them.

Lavelle was sentenced to two years in a young-offenders' institute.

Marie Masselis, prosecuting, told Chester Crown Court that the first burglary happened at Bendee Road, Neston, at about 1pm on February 5.

Miss Masselis said Lavelle knocked on the door of the home of Mr and Mrs Southwell and told them he was there to check the water.

She said: "He was let into the property and stood by the sink, and a second man came in asking where the stop tap was. He began rummaging under the sink and then said that other houses had stop taps in the front room.

"A pet dog began barking in the front room when Lavelle went in there, so he went upstairs saying he was going to check a stop tap in the bathroom.

It was later discovered that an eternity ring of "great sentimental value" had been stolen.

The second burglary happened in Nantwich, on February 26 at 1pm.

Again Lavelle, from Rhyl, pretended to be from a water company and said that he needed to turn the water off because of a "problem on the road".

Nearly £500 was taken, along with a bus pass.

On March 3 Lavelle went to he home of Harry and Hilda Booth, in Pearl Lane, Chester, again at 1pm.

"He stated there had been a problem with the water and that it needed to be turned off. Mrs Booth began removing items from under the sink to assist in him finding the stop tap," said Miss Masselis.

"The defendant said he was finished and began walking off, and then there were two men in the hallway, seen by Mr Booth walking towards the front door."

Two porcelain figurines were stolen from the house.

A neighbour memorised part of a number plate of the car Lavelle got into after the burglary.

Lavelle was also sentenced for taking a vehicle without consent on February 16 after a burglary in Flint.

The stolen car had been abandoned in Ellesmere Port, and forensics showed Lavelle's fingerprints on the rear-view mirror.

The car, although it had a different number plate, was linked to the number plate recognised by the neighbour after the distraction burglary on March 3.

Lavelle was identified by police in another car on March 7.

He refused to stop and tried a three-point turn to get away, but reversed into the back of two police cars and another parked car.