They say you should never return to the scene of the crime - as these Cheshire Oaks jewellery store thieves found out the hard way.

Arrogant Jonathan Evans and Christopher Prescott have been locked up for a total of eight years.

They ‘thought they would never get caught’ as they hit up Ernest Jones shops across the country.

The duo snatched £50,000 worth of bracelets, rings and watches during a two-month spree.

But one of them was rumbled after he went back to the scene of the crime in Ellesmere Port .

Evans, 45, and Prescott, 53, pleaded pleading guilty to a long list of theft offences at Chester Crown Court on April 18.

Detective Constable Mark Hughes said: “Both Evans and Prescott were extremely confident in believing they could target these stores across the country and never get caught.

“I have no doubt that the arrogance Evans showed when returning to the scene of one of his crimes meant he would have continued to carry on committing these offences.

“The pair are now paying the price for their actions.

“I hope that the time behind bars will allow them to reflect upon what they have done – and the impact of it.”

Jonathan Evans, aged 45, of Cosslett Place in Grangetown, Cardiff, has been jailed after stealing from the Ernest Jones jewellery shop at Cheshire Oaks

Evans and Prescott targeted the Cheshire Oaks branch of Ernest Jones for the first time on December 30.

They swiped a £5,000 watch from a cabinet and managed to escape.

But Evans was not so lucky when he came back to the outlet village on January 30.

The 45-year-old was detained by security staff before Cheshire police turned up to arrest him. Officers found a further four stolen watches on a search of his Cardiff home.

Christopher Prescott, aged 53, from Fishguard Close, Llanishen in Cardiff, has been jailed after stealing from the Ernest Jones jewellery shop at Cheshire Oaks

Prescott was arrested a day later at his house after he was identified on CCTV.

Further investigation showed the pair’s spree included two rings from Ernest Jones in Nottingham on January 6, and a £15,000 watch from the chain’s outlet in York.

Prescott had also stolen from Sunglasses Hut in Bristol.

Evans, of Cosslett Place, in Cardiff admitted seven theft charges and was jailed for four years.

Prescott, from Fishguard Close, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to ten counts of theft and was sentenced to four years and three months.