A Frenchman stole jewellery during break-ins at houses in two villages after driving into the countryside to escape city life.
But due to Abdelkzder Harbaoui's inability to speak English, he had not been able to sell his haul by the time he was arrested.
Harbaoui, 31, of Eagle Street, Coventry, who targeted houses in Priors Hardwick and Badby, near Daventry, was jailed fo
r two years at Warwick Crown Court last week.
He had pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary and asked for two other offences, including a second burglary, to be considered.
Prosecutor Vicki Lofrese said Harbaoui broke into a house in Priors Hardwick last September and stole ornaments and other items worth around £5,000.
The owner was so upset by the incident her family organised a rota to stay with her overnight until the burglar had been arrested.
Harbaoui was spotted acting suspiciously near the house by neighbours who took the registration number of his car.
Later that month he stole electrical items and jewellery including several pairs of gold cufflinks and antique gold watches from a house in Badby, Norhtants.
Police saw Harbaoui in his car in Coventry the next day and when they searched it and his home recovered most of the property he had stolen.
He at first denied responsibility, but admitted the burglaries after being told of blood found at the house in Priors Hardwick.
Peter Freeman, defending, said Harbaoui, who had no previous convictions, came to Britain looking for work, but was made redundant and had spent his savings.
He saw Coventry as "a big concrete city" so made a spur-of-the-moment decision to drive out to the countryside burgle some houses.
Jailing Harbaoui, Judge Robert Orme said: "I do not accept that these could have been spur-of-the-moment offences, but I do accept you are now remorseful.
"These are two significant and serious dwelling house burglaries. It seems to me these premises must have been targeted by you as being properties likely to have items of value that you could steal."
