The meal that led to the men's conviction

Three men who preyed on the frail and elderly across the country, including Shropshire, were foiled by a humble burger, a court was told.

The burglars, one of whom had even robbed a 92-year-old blind woman of her white cane, fled when they were spotted by a police patrol car as they sat at a fast food restaurant.

After a car chase they abandoned their BMW convertible — but left behind their half-eaten burgers with their DNA, linking them to a wider conspiracy.

Yesterday Patrick Thomas Connor, 32, formerly of Culmington, Stirchley, Telford, but now of no fixed abode and his nephew Patrick Joseph Connor, 25, appeared at Durham Crown Court.

They admitted conspiring to commit dwelling house burglaries in April last year.

Martin Joseph Rooney, 24, who appeared with them, denied his part in the conspiracy, but admitted two attempted burglaries.

Connor Snr and Connor Jnr of Wigan, Greater Manchester, were remanded in custody to the week beginning October 19 for sentence.

Rooney, of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, was sentenced to 16 months for each attempted burglary, to run concurrently – with 229 days in remand taken into account.

Mr Bryan Mark, prosecuting said the gang had targeted elderly and vulnerable people.

They posed as water board engineers to gain access to homes to steal cash and jewellery.

The properties included homes in Castleside, near Consett, County Durham, and Oakwood Drive in Gateshead, as well as in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Shropshire.

Connor Snr also admitted robbing a blind 92-year-old woman from Leicestershire, pushing her into her home to gain entry. He made off with her white cane and £80 in cash.

The court was told Connor Snr had yesterday been brought from a Scottish prison, where he is serving five years for a robbery in similar circumstances.

By Lisa Rowley