Two burglars caused thousands of pounds’ worth of damage when they stole copper piping from a listed building.

Daniel Frame, 40, and Kenny Jakeman, 47, broke into Wheatsheaf Farm House, a remote, boarded-up building near Shenley, owned by Hertfordshire County Council.

Prosecutor Andrea Scott-Lynch told St Albans crown court on Friday August 13 that the pair had armed themselves with a crow bar and bolt cutters when they broke in on May 8 last year.

They stripped the building of copper pipes, causing a ceiling to collapse and a oil leak. The damage was put at £5,538.

The men had smashed the alarm system, but not before it had alerted the police and they were arrested.

Frame formerly of Norris Close, London Colney and Jakeman of Riverside Road, St Albans appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to burglary.

Frame had 41 convictions for 117 offences and Jakeman 45 for 113. Jakeman was serving an eight-week suspended sentence at the time of the burglary.

Yasin Patel, for Frame said he had been “open and honest” about his drug use. He said he had a new address in Harlow and was on universal credit as he tried to turn his life around.

For Jakeman, Mizan Abdulroufn said he had been homeless for seven years, but had been found accommodation by Oxygen Gateway, a housing and support service for ex-offenders.

At the time of the burglary he said Jakeman had been staying with travellers who had asked him to carry it out to cover his rent.

Judge Michael Kay QC jailed both men for two years and four months for the burglary. Jakeman was given an extra eight weeks for breaching the suspended sentence.

The judge said: “Ultimately they have to learn it is up to them to stop up. They have no right to inflict their problems on everyone else.”