A NATIONWIDE police search to bring a conman to justice ended on his doorstep.

Lawrence William Crossling is starting a seven-year prison sentence, four months after it was imposed in his absence at Durham Crown Court.

He was convicted of two counts of burglary, one of which involved him entering a house in Victoria Street, Shotton Colliery, County Durham, claiming to be a customs officer on a drugs search, in April last year.

Crossling and an accomplice jostled the owner's 24-year-old daughter, who was house-sitting while her parents were on holiday, before taking personal items worth an estimated £70,000.

Crossling was arrested in Beverley, east Yorkshire, last July and returned to County Durham, where he was picked out of an identity parade.

While on bail, two days later, he duped his way into the home of a 77-year-old man in Murton, County Durham, after asking if any odd-jobs needed doing.

The victim later discovered his wallet, containing £300, was missing.

Crossling, 24, who was bailed to his mother's address in Bruce Crescent, and later to Warren Road, both in Hartlepool, failed to turn up for his trial in January.

The court heard that Crossling, a member of the travelling community, was seen leaving in his car, towing a caravan, from a site in Eden Lane, Peterlee, east Durham, earlier that morning.

Recorder Andrew Kershaw ruled the hearing could take place in his absence and issued an arrest warrant.

After the jury's guilty verdicts, the court heard that the crimes were committed shortly after Crossling's release on licence from a three-and-a-half year sentence for wounding with intent and making threats to kill, earlier last year.

Imposing the seven-year sentence, Recorder Kershaw said: "He will be arrested, although where and when the police just can't say."

Durham Police yesterday confirmed that Crossling was found at Crimdon Dene Caravan Park, Blackhall Colliery, on the County Durham coast, last week.

A force spokesman said: "He was arrested and is now behind bars serving his sentence."