AN Edmonton teenager who used a taxi service to burgle homes across Barnet has been found guilty.

Buddy Jefferies, 19, of Adlington Close, and an accomplice ordered a cab on January 21 and directed it to four addresses.

Wood Green Crown Court heard how they broke into a house in Balmoral Avenue, Barnet and attempted to enter homes in Summerlee Avenue and Southern Road in East Finchley as well as Kettlewell Close, Barnet where the pair were finally caught out.

A householder and his wife were returning to their home in the street when they saw the front door was open and all the lights were on.

The householder jumped out of the car and as he approached the house a man ran out and jumped into a silver Toyota taxi parked nearby.

A neighbour helped him try to prevent the taxi from leaving but it swerved past them.

Another neighbour followed the taxi and managed to block it at the roundabout at Ribblesdale Avenue where the taxi-driver got out and explained he had nothing to do with the two passengers.

Meanwhile Jefferies and his accomplice ran off, at which point the cab driver reported the incident to the police.

The pair had left a number of items in the back seat of the taxi including laptop computers, a camera, a bottle of whisky and other items belonging to the homeowners in Kettlewell Close and Balmoral Avenue.

Police identified Jefferies after matching his DNA on a glove left in the vehicle, as well as matching a footprint found inside Kettlewell Close with a training shoe at his address.

Jefferies was arrested on January 22 on suspicion of burglary. Throughout his trial he maintained his innocence and refused to identify his accomplice.

He was found guilty of two residential burglaries at Wood Green Crown Court on October 26 and is awaiting sentence.

DC Mike Paton of Barnet CID said: “Prompt action on the part of members of the public prevented the culprits from getting away with the proceeds of several burglaries. I pay tribute to the courageous way they behaved.

“Burglars like Jefferies make use of the dark nights, when an unlit house tells them that no-one is at home. This case demonstrates how police and a community working together can make burglary a high risk activity for criminals.”