A burglar found himself in the “wrong place at the wrong time” after joining a gang of house raiders he bumped into while he was pursuing a runaway dog.

Teesside Crown Court heard Gary Rowbotham followed the dog he was looking after for a relation into the rear of a house in Derwent Street, Hartlepool.

He was found inside the address with other men after a member of the public reported a burglary in progress on the afternoon of June 2 this year.

Inside copper piping was found ripped from the walls and stacked up while water poured out.

Rowbotham, 37, who admitted burglary and who has a lengthy record, had only been out of prison around three months and was homeless.

In mitigation, his lawyer said he was “genuinely upset” at finding himself in court again.

Recorder Ayesha Smart jailed Rowbotham for the minimum 876 days for “third strike” burglars.

Raider followed runaway dog into house, bumped into gang of raiders and joined in burglary