A relentless burglar was jailed for six years yesterday as Nottingham's leading judge said tougher powers were needed to curb house raiders.
Judge Michael Stokes spoke after it was revealed that Wayne Smart had at least 14 house burglaries on his criminal record.
He had already been given prison terms of three and four years, being released halfway through them.
Smart 24, of Bridgeway Centre, Nottingham, admitted entering the isolated home of two pensioners in Leicestershire on November 3 while they were out. A woman victim had all her jewellery stolen, including items handed down from her grandmother.
A missing computer contained family photos which could not be replaced and the total haul was valued at up to £10,000.
Sian Cutter, in mitigation, said Smart accepted he would get a "custodial sentence of some considerable length".