A man has been jailed after forensic evidence linked him to the scene of a burglary in Sandwell last year. 

Ionut Dobre, aged 31, broke into a property in Smethwick by smashing a window on March 2 in broad daylight just after 3pm. 

Items such as cash, clothes, iPads, cigarettes and jewellery were stolen from the property amounting to the value of more than £10,000. 

Forensic officers attended the address and swabs were taken of blood left on a shard of glass from the smashed window. 

The swabs were analysed and DNA matched to Dobre.

After attempting to evade police, Dobre was then arrested at Luton Airport last December after arriving back in the country. 

He was subsequently charged with burglary and remanded in custody.

Dobre of no fixed abode appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday (January 25) and was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing. 

DI Phil Griffiths from Sandwell Police said: “Dobre committed a very serious offence and stole valuable items from an innocent member of the public.

“He then tried to abscond from police but we caught up with him.

"No one should feel unsafe in their home and we are doing all we can to bring offenders to justice.”