Irish thief caught after losing stolen phone with his photo on it

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An Irish drug addict was caught by police after he took a photo of himself on a phone he had stolen, and then dropped it in front of a house he had burgled.

Jason Glennon stole the pink Nokia phone and a rucksack from an unlocked car in the Blanchardstown area in Dublin.

The 36-year-old then broke into a nearby house, where the owner awoke to find him in the bedroom.

As the man chased him out of the house, Glennon threw a PlayStation games console at him, but dropped the stolen rucksack and mobile phone.

A month later he was arrested after police identified him using the photo he had taken of himself on the stolen phone.

Glennon committed the crime just 24 hours after he had been released from prison after serving a sentence for a similar offence.

The Mulhuddart resident pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three burglaries in the Blanchardstown area in June of 2010.

The court heard that Glennon had 53 previous convictions, including burglary offences and handling stolen property.

Reported by Irish Central, the judge described Glennon as a 'menace as long as he is in the community and using drugs.'

'It is my duty to protect the community, and the only blunt implement I can use for this purpose is Mountjoy Prison,' said Judge Patrick McCartan before he adjourned the case to March.

- DAILY MAIL