Two men who burgled a house while the occupants were on holiday have been jailed for a total of four-and-a-half years.

A vigilant neighbour called police after they noticed the victims’ front door was wide open and their white Ford tipper truck was missing from the driveway.

The incident in Goring Way, Goring, was reported on the morning of 12 August.

A marker for the vehicle was placed on the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) system, and it triggered a camera in the area shortly afterwards.

Enquiries also revealed two licensed shotguns were missing from the property; this triggered a response from unmarked firearms officers, who located and stopped the vehicle driving eastbound through Shoreham.

The two men in the truck were identified as John Brooks, 49, of Selden Road, Worthing; and Anthony Micallef, 43, of no fixed address.

In the rear of the vehicle were two bikes, which the victim later confirmed had been stolen from the house. They also confirmed a number of jars containing cash for their children had been stolen.

The firearms were later recovered and returned to the owner.

The suspects were subsequently arrested and charged with burglary.

They appeared before Lewes Crown Court on 16 November, where they were each sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Rick Brown, said: “Thankfully in this case the offenders were quickly apprehended and the majority of the stolen property was recovered thanks to excellent work by different departments within Sussex Police.

“The impact on the victims of these crimes cannot be underestimated, especially when there are children involved.

“The length of the sentences reflects how these matters are taken seriously by the police and courts, and my sincerest hope is that this will help the victims find some closure and be able to move on with their lives.”