A BURGLAR dressed in dark clothing and a balaclava was caught thanks to a police dog.

Amy Louise Francis, 29, of Sutton Way, Ellesmere Port, was one of three people who broke into two industrial premises on Deeside causing damage totalling more than £5,000.

She admitted burglary at the Dublcheck premises and the Easyspace premises, both in Minerva Avenue, off Sealand Road, Chester, on July 27.

Jailing her for a year at Mold Crown Court, Judge John Rogers QC said it was a planned burglary. She was not alone. There were three in total and it was Francis who provided the transport.

“You went in, you tried to escape but you were apprehended,” the judge said. A lot of damage had been caused.

At an earlier hearing a co-defendant Aiden Mark Jukes, 31, of Barnston Avenue, Ellesmere Port, was jailed for 15 months after he admitted the same offences.

Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, said three people went out disguised and equipped and targeted the two premises, where they caused substantial damage.

Police were called to the Sealand Avenue area at about 4.15am on July 29 following a report that people were acting suspiciously in the industrial area.

Officers saw three people with darkened faces and black clothing and gave chase. A police dog handler caught Francis.

Police who searched of the area outside Dublcheck found a pair of bolt cutters, a miner’s lamp with a light and a crowbar.

Later a further burglary was reported at the Easyspace company.

A total of 12 rooms had been entered and internal doors, which had just been replaced at a cost of £5,000 following an earlier burglary, were damaged. In total damage costing about £5,000 had been caused.

Robin Boag, defending, said Francis had a drugs problem and had previously asked to be remanded in custody at the magistrates’ court.

She found that it was harder to stay off the drugs on the outside and was working with drugs workers in custody to kick the habit.

Francis got involved in the burglaries because she had a car at the time and the ability to drive.

She had never been involved in burglary in the past but accepted she played her part in both burglaries, which was completely new ground for her.

“She was not successful because she was caught by the police dog,” Mr Boag said.