A 12-month police operation finally captured three "prolific and professional" burglars.

Police tracked down and charged two of the criminals after they went on the run for more than three months.

Day and night raids by the trio, sometimes carried out as people slept, resulted in plasma televisions, an engagement ring and cars with a total value of more than £125,000 being stolen.

Between June and October last year, householders paid out more than £3,000 to repair damage to their properties in Baildon, Bradford, Burley-in-Wharfe-dale, Eldwick, Horsforth, Keighley, Menston and Rawdon, following raids.

Liam Whitaker, 23, of Poplar Gardens, Ravenscliffe, Nigel Greenwood, 24, of Airedale Crescent, Undercliffe, and Lyndsey Lewis, 31, of Scholemoor Road, Great Horton, were jailed on Monday for a total of 11 years for committing 14 burglaries across West Yorkshire.

PC Mark Keasey today told how the police were able to bring the three-man Bradford gang to justice.

PC Keasey said: "We had been looking into them since May last year and compiled enough evidence to charge them in October. They were prolific, professional and very forensically aware."

He said Whitaker and Greenwood failed to answer bail in October following their earlier arrests, sparking a police hunt by going on the run.

Whitaker was caught in January when, pursued by police, he crashed his car into a wall. He was charged with conspiracy to burgle. On Monday he was jailed for four years and eight months.

Greenwood was charged on March 16 after being spotted out by a police officer, and was also convicted of aggravated vehicle taking. He has been jailed for four years. Lindsey, who was not on the run, was arrested on January 31 when police caught him in a stolen vehicle. He received an additional conviction for handling stolen goods and was sentenced to two years and nine months.