TWO ram raiders were caught on security cameras after taking off their masks to chat during a burglary.

Brothers Dale and Karl Thorne made the bizarre mistake after smashing a stolen car into a service station to steal tobacco worth £10,000.

Dale, aged 34, of Willshere Road, Barnstaple, was sent to prison for 30 months for the burglary at the Fishleigh Rock service station in Umberleigh.

Older brother Karl, 35, of Frankmarsh Park, was jailed for two years.

Exeter Crown Court was told the pair were caught on security cameras after taking their masks off to talk to each other during the raid.

They also did not realise there was razorwire on the roof and were injured as they fled the scene.

Defence counsel Terence Holder, representing Karl Thorne, said: "Not many professional burglars reveal their faces or cut themselves to pieces.

"Karl Thorne had injuries to several parts of his body, some more personal than others."

Both men admitted burglary. Dale Thorne admitted possessing criminal property and was convicted at an earlier trial of handling stolen goods.

Prosecutor Joss Ticehurst said a Volkswagen Passat car was stolen from a garage in April last year.

The car was used to smash through the front door of the A377 service station in the early hours of July 23, 2009.

The service station owner, Gerald Colwill, arrived after a burglar alarm went off to find his business trashed.

Mr Colwill said the raid left £9,000 damage and £8,000 to £10,000 worth of cigarettes and tobacco was stolen, although some was recovered. In a statement read in court he said he and his wife worked hard and he was angry about the crime, which had affected staff morale.

Police later found the ram-raid was caught on closed-circuit television footage.

Karl Thorne left blood in the car, later abandoned, because he had cut his wrist on the razorwire.

Police later found Dale Thorne had a key to a holdall, with a large amount of the stolen tobacco, which was left at another person's house. This was the offence of possessing criminal property.

The offence of handling stolen goods involved a strimmer and spanner found at Dale Thorne's house.

The court heard Dale Thorne had a longer criminal record than his brother, including for several burglaries. Karl Thorne's smaller record included one burglary.

Defence counsel said the brothers were no longer taking amphetamines which had fuelled their crimes.

They were family men in relationships and wanted to sort their lives out.

Judge Graham Cottle said: "This was a serious commercial burglary. It was quite clearly planned. A vehicle was acquired to use as a battering ram."

Detective Constable Heather Smith said: "The seriousness of the crime is reflected in the sentences they were given.

"It was a significant crime in the local area. This was a businessman who has been working hard all his life and they have gone in and caused considerable damage and cost.

"The CCTV footage and DNA evidence from the blood at the scene were the clinchers.

"But it's an unusual crime for North Devon, which remains one of the safest areas in the UK."