Joel William Heard, 29, appeared for sentence in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday having pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, and riding in a stolen car.

The court heard the offender committed 19 offences within a four week period between May and June last year.

On June 3, the owner of a Campbell home found Heard in his kitchen about 5.15am.

The pair struggled and Heard escaped but he was linked to the burglary through DNA evidence left at the scene.

Heard’s DNA and a fingerprints also matched material taken from two stolen cars in the following weeks.

The court heard the 29-year-old received property stolen during burglaries in Griffith, Barton, Turner, Forrest, and Deakin.

On June 20, he sold a digital camera and lenses to a second hand dealer in Belconnen for $150.

Heard also used a number of stolen credit cards to buy food from McDonald’s, pay for taxi fares, and purchase other items, totalling more than $300.

The court heard the offender had a significant criminal history and had been a long-term drug user.

But Heard claimed he had committed the offences for financial gain rather than to fuel a drug habit.

Justice John Burns jailed Heard for six-years-and-four months, backdated to take into account time spent in custody, with a non-parole period of three years and 10 months.

He will be eligible for release in April 2016.

Justice Burns noted the amounts charged to the pilfered cards were small, but said burglars would have less incentive to steal if people like Heard were not willing to receive stolen property.