TAIPEI – A thirsty Taiwanese burglar fell victim to his habit of capping successful break-ins with a drink, as police traced him via DNA left on glasses and cans at the crime scenes, according to an official.

The man, identified only by his surname Chen, committed a number of burglaries in residential areas around Taipei from 2006 to 2008, a spokesman for the capital city's district court said.

On one occasion he drank from a wine glass, and on another from a can, leaving saliva from which his DNA could be extracted, according to the spokesman.

The thefts of items such a laptops and flat-panel TVs led the court to sentence Chen to one year and 10 months in jail on Tuesday, he said.