A burglar who raided three Essex homes in one day before being caught following a police pursuit has been jailed for three years.

Robert Davanzo, 24, had previously pleaded guilty to a total of four charges of burglary, one count of dangerous driving and one count of theft of a motor vehicle without consent and was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

According to Essex Police, two men knocked on a door of a house in Spring Sedge Close, Stanway, at around 12,45pm on February 2.

The owner did not answer but later spotted them in her garden, with one of the men opening the back door. They fled empty handed when she screamed.

Officers identified a black Vauxhall Astra the victim had seen the men travelling in and discovered it had been seen driving out of Colchester in convoy with a white Ford S-Max.

Officers discovered the Ford had been stolen from a home in Kings Meadow Road, Colchester, earlier that day along with some jewellery.

Officers searching for the Astra spotted it in Latchingdon at about 3.10pm. A pursuit was authorised after the car – driven by Davanzo - failed to stop and was seen driving dangerously and at speed.

The car was found abandoned in St Mary’s Lane, Maldon.

Davanzo and another man were seen running through Promenade Park and were arrested.

Jewellery and money thrown from the Astra during the pursuit was found in Blind Lane. These were found to have been stolen during the Kings Meadow Road burglary, and another burglary in Eliot Way, Maldon, that was reported shortly after 3.15pm the same day. A black bag containing screwdrivers, a crowbar, a drill and torches was also found.

Davanzo was also identified as being one of two men who broke into a home in Ashby Road, Witham, at 11.15am on January 5.

The owner, alerted through CCTV, called police and a relative.

When his relative arrived, Davanzo and a second man came out of the house with jewellery, cash and electrical equipment.

Davanzo held a spray bottle of an unknown fluid towards the homeowner’s relative before both burglars fled.

Detective Inspector Rob Kirby said after the hearing: “I’m pleased Robert Davanzo has been brought to justice. Burglaries are horrible, invasive crimes and no-one should feel unsafe in their own home.”