A METAL thief caught in the act of stealing copper pipe from a Dudley house has been jailed for three years.

Martin Bennett aged 24 from Gresham Road, Oldbury, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after being found guilty of burglary.

A second man, aged 26, from Tividale, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment for the same offence after pleading guilty at an earlier court appearance.

Bennett was arrested in February at an unoccupied property in Russell Street after police were called by neighbours who heard banging and sawing noises coming from the house.

Pc Nick Slym, from Dudley police, said: "I am pleased with the outcome of this case, especially after seeing the amount of damage caused by these individuals."