A wife was left heartbroken when a burglar stole her cherished engagement, wedding and eternity rings, representing 37 years of marriage, a court heard.
The thief, Wayne Newell, who stole the valuables from the victim's family home in Burbage, near Hinckley, was jailed for a total of three-and-a-half years.
Newell (41) pleaded guilty to burglary and theft of jewellery and other items, plus £200 in cash, on December 18 last year.
He also admitted handling stolen goods, a Pandora charm bracelet worth £500, after it was stolen by unknown persons from a house in Grange Drive, Burbage, on the same day.
Kate Plummer, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court that the police searched the defendant's home on December 23.
Officers found the Pandora bracelet, as well as a watch and an earring taken from the woman's address.
The missing rings were not recovered.
Miss Plummer said that a car parked outside Newell's address in Armfield Street, Coventry, was identified by automatic number plate recognition cameras as being in the area of the offences on the days leading up, and including, the offences.
Miss Plummer said it indicated the defendant was carrying out advance reconnaissance of the area.
Sentencing, Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: "The goods (bracelet) you handled came from a house burglary and it had a profound effect upon the family who lived there.
"Handling stolen goods encourages others to burgle.
"More serious is the burglary you've pleaded guilty to.
"One only has to read the words of Mrs Dawn White who spoke about the loss of her jewellery, saying 'How does one value items such as wedding, engagement and eternity rings from a marriage of 37 years?'
"The value of those items to her is invaluable.
"You're responsible of depriving her of those much loved items, which exemplifies how serious this is.
"You're a third strike burglar liable to a minimum three year sentence.
"If you commit house burglaries in the future, the sentences will get ever longer."
Sarah Cornish, mitigating, said: "He's thoroughly ashamed of his actions.
"He'd been out of trouble since 2010 and made every effort to turn his life around.
"He says it's the biggest mistake of his life."
She said that Newell felt he had let down his fiancée and their children, aged six and 10, as well as his 18-year-old twins from a former relationship.
