TWO burglars are today serving prison sentences, after police chased them through gardens, over a railway line and into a wood.

Constantin Manolache, 34, and Victor Marian Brazdiz, 23, had travelled more than 50 miles from their Lincolnshire base to raid the Jet garage in Station Road, Haxby.

They stole many packets of cigarettes, but were spotted and caught before they could take their loot back to their homes.

York police sent them in custody to York Magistrates Court.

Manolache, and Brazdiz, both of Burn Road, Scunthorpe, each pleaded guilty to burglary.

Manolache was jailed for 24 weeks and Brazdis for 16 weeks.

Each was ordered to pay a £128 statutory surcharge.

District judge Adrian Lower said they had planned the raid in advance.

Police have praised local residents for their help and giving officers vital information that enabled them to arrest the two men and bring them to justice.

The burglars broke into the petrol station in the early hours of Wednesday.

They had a crowbar and torch and were wearing gloves.

But local residents realised what they were doing before they could get away and alerted police at 1.25am.

The two raiders made off on foot through back gardens and at one point crossed the York to Scarborough railway line.

But they had been seen and officers knew where to look for them.

They set off in pursuit.

Burglars tried to hide in a wooded area less than half a mile from the garage off a residential street.

But police called up a police helicopter with a infrared camera.

Police dogs also joined in the search and at 2.30am, both men were arrested.