Three crooks will be wishing they paid more attention in computer studies after stealing a tablet computer which police were able to track.

Jamie Button, 43, Paul Ham, 42, and Ashley Hammond, 28, were arrested within two hours of them ransacking a house in Borough Green in November.

Officers used a piece of software to track the men to a business park in Chatham where they were arrested after being found with a haul of stolen property as well as a catapult and marbles, which were used to gain access to the property.

All three pleaded guilty to burglary and were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court.

Button, of St Mary's Road, Strood, was jailed for two-and-a-half years while Ham, of Windmill Street, Rochester, and Hammond from Penge in south-east London, were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

The court heard the occupant of the property in Borough Green came home to find a glass panel on the back door had been smashed a number of items had been taken.

After using the software to trace the men's location, officers searched the car they had been travelling in and found the missing items.

Further inquires revealed the offenders had hired the vehicle specifically for use in the burglary, and had leased a different car from the same hire company three days earlier.

Officers were able to link the second vehicle to another burglary in Tonbridge.

On this occasion personal belongings including jewellery and two televisions were taken from a property in the Yardley Park area. Officers noticed that access had been gained after a glass panel in the back door was smashed using marbles.

Det Sgt Garry Cook said: "This case demonstrates the value of having tracking software installed on tablet computers and mobile phones. On this occasion it led to three offenders being identified very quickly and caught red-handed with the belongings they had stolen.

"Burglary is a terrible crime that has a devastating psychological impact on victims. Fortunately on this occasion we were able to return what was taken to its rightful owners but that does not make what these men did any less serious.