A ‘professional’ burglar who made off with £4,500 of property has been jailed for three years.

Lee Rider, 25, was caught when his footprints were traced, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Rider, of Leeds Road, Thornbury, Bradford, pleaded guilty to burglary in Trueman Court, Low Moor, Brad-ford, on Sept-ember 28.

His haul included a television, watches, phones and £1,500 cash. The court heard yesterday that Rider ransacked the house.

Ian Hudson said in mitigation that it was a daytime burglary at an empty house.

Rider, who qualified as a fitness instructor while in jail, had not been able to find work or a proper home after his release. He had been living in hostels and committed the burglary to help him obtain accommodation.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Rider he was “a professional burglar”.

Rider was jailed under the ‘three strikes’ rule.

He was banned from driving for 12 months because he used a friend’s pick-up truck to transport the goods he had stolen from the raided house.