Two men have been jailed following a break-in where more than £60,000 worth of jewellery was taken.

28-year-old James Bourke, from Ongar, and 29-year-old Thomas Large, of no fix address, were both sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, November 5.

The burglary took place at an address in Fencepiece Road, Chigwell, between 9am and 12pm on Thursday, March 21.

Bourke and Large got inside by climbing on to a flat roof and then smashing an upstairs window before searching the victim’s bedrooms.

They then took a beige laundry bag and jewellery worth at least £60,000.

A witness told officers she had seen two men in her back garden on the same day and described one of them as holding a cloth bag which looked like it had items inside.

She said the pair had jumped over her fence before going to the front of the house and onto Manor Road where she challenged them.

At that point they ran off towards the junction with Fencepiece Road where they were challenged by another witness who was threatened by Bourke.

All this was caught on CCTV.

Bourke was arrested at an address in Ilford on Wednesday, April 2, where he was later charged with burglary and handling stolen goods.

Although he denied the charge Bourke was found guilty on Thursday, October 3, following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court and sentenced to three years and two months.

Large had already pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and was sentenced to two years and three months.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Ben Elliott, from Harlow CID, said: “When someone is burgled they can feel like their personal space has been invaded and they’re unsafe in their own home.

“No-one should ever be made to feel like that and I’m glad we’ve been able to bring James Bourke and Thomas Large to justice.

“They have shown little regard for their victim’s property or personal space. Bourke in particular showed little remorse for his actions, denying his involvement despite witness testimony and CCTV evidence to the contrary.

“It is satisfying to know that both men will now be behind bars for some time so they cannot do something similar to someone else.”