Two burglars have been sentenced for stealing cash from businesses in Harpenden and Luton.

Daniel Taylor, of Eighth Avenue in Luton, was charged with stealing £300 in cash from Jolie salon on Harpenden High Street between July 23 and 24, and taking cash and hair products from MyHair Salon in Luton’s Ashwell Avenue on April 3.

The 26-year-old also attempted to burgle Delhi Lounge in Luton on July 31 and was found with three packs of Class C drug Diazepam.

He was arrested and charged by Bedfordshire Police after this most recent incident.

He pleaded guilty to all four charges and was sentenced at Hatfield Remand Court on Wednesday to 12 weeks imprisonment - 12 weeks for the MyHair Salon burglary, eight weeks for the Jolie offence, and four weeks for the Delhi Lounge crime, to run concurrently.

Taylor was not sentenced for the drug possession, but was ordered to pay £300 to the cafe, £610 to the hairdressers, and £85 prosecution costs.

Another criminal, Gary Menzies, of Hillcroft Close in Luton, was also sentenced at Hatfield Remand Court on Wednesday after handing himself in to police.

His family had seen a wanted appeal and persuaded him to come forward.

The 32-year-old had stolen £85 from Maria’s coffee shop in Harpenden High Street between 8pm on Thursday, July 18 and 5.10am on Friday, July 20.

He also stole a till from Harpenden hairdressers Gibson and Powell at 1am on July 21, 2018.

Pleading guilty to all charges, Menzies was given a 12 month community order, a six month drug rehabilitation course, and an electronic curfew to stay at home between 7pm and 7am.

He also had to pay £410 to Gibson and Powell, £485 to Maria’s and £85 prosecution costs.

Det Sgt Tom Evans from the Local Crime Unit said: “I’m pleased they have been dealt with for these burglaries, which has caused a lot of inconvenience and upset to the victims who are trying to run businesses in the towns, as well as within the local community.

“We circulated Menzies’ photograph as he was wanted and he handed himself in after being persuaded by his family to do so. We won’t hesitate to do this in the future for other offenders who we cannot trace.

“Taylor was offered a slightly shorter prison sentence if he agreed to go on probation, but he refused.”

They worked with Bedfordshire Police to secure these prosecutions.

Anyone with information about any crime should contact police on 101, or if the offence is in progress, 999.