A pair of "prolific" burglars who targeted a number of pubs in Hertfordshire have been jailed for a total of five years.

Cousins Jason Dowsett, of Winfield Mobile Home Park, in Watford, and Lee Dowsett, from Stevenage, admitted more than ten burglaries in Watford, Aldenham, Stevenage, Knebworth and Hertford.

Both admitted going equipped for a burglary in Horseshoe Lane, in Watford, in June last year, while Jason also admitted breaking in to Aldenham Social Club, in Church Lane, Aldenham, in April 2010.

Jason, 41, and Lee, 30, were both handed sentences of two-and-a-half years in prison, at Cambridge Crown Court, on February 3.

A third man, 35 year old Roy Callaghan, from Bishop's Stortford, pleaded guilty in November 2010, to two charges of burglary, and admitted 17 other offences to be taken into consideration.

Because of his early guilty pleas, he was sentenced to a probation order, to run until May 2012, and was ordered to attend a substance misuse programme, and an alcohol treatment programme lasting six months.

Detective Inspector Gary Atkinson, investigating, said: “This was a highly prolific gang of burglars. The impact of these burglaries wasn’t just about jimmying loose change out of fruit machines. This gang was striking in the early hours of the morning when pub staff were still on the premises.

"Some excellent work by the teams has resulted in these people being brought to justice. Since these arrests, this type of burglary has reduced dramatically."