Burglars targeted office buildings

But, having gained access to various commercial premises round County Durham, the gang managed to take four wallets and a purse, all containing credit cards, from unguarded jacket pockets and bags.

Within a short time one of the men rang the victims, most of whom were unaware their property had even been taken.

Posing as a bank official the caller told the unwitting victims that attempts had been made to access their accounts.

Purporting to be working with police, the caller asked victims for their bank details, including PiN numbers.

Three were taken in by the stories and passed on their code numbers, enabling the gang to withdraw cash from their accounts.

Durham Crown Court heard that they struck at Sedgefield Borough Council offices, and at Alperton International Ltd, both in Spennymoor, taking wallets, on January 30.

They stayed overnight at the Eden Arms Hotel in Rushyford, before successfully stealing another wallet, at Mould Systems premises on Meadowfield Industrial Estate, near Durham, the following day.

The trio, from Coventry in the West Midlands, struck again, at County Hall, Durham, and at CAV Aerospace, in Consett, taking a wallet and a purse, on February 13.

But their spree came to an end when their Audi car was pulled over on the A693 at Annfield Plain, near Stanley, and they were arrested, later that day.

John Stephen O'Shaughnessy, 41, and 38-year-old Wayne Patrick McSheffery each admitted five charges of burglary.

William Scott Moffatt, also 41, admitted burglary relating to the two incidents on February 13.

Sentence on all three was adjourned pending preparation of reports on them by the probation service.

They were remanded in custody by Judge Richard Lowden pending sentence, by him, at Newcastle Crown Court, on October 19.