CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One man is preparing to spend at least five years in prison after pleading guilty of stealing from people's homes while they were away at funerals.

Chris Criner and the man police say assisted him, Shawn Cammanda, are graduates of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In court Monday the prosecutor described how investigators believe the two men broke into 13 homes from 2005 through 2006.

Police say they stole the families' belongings and trashed the homes -- all while the families were at funerals.

For the Bell family of seven it was exceptionally heartbreaking. Steve Bell died of cancer in 2005, and while Mary Bell took the entire family to Atlanta for the burial, she says the accused men stole jewelry, heirlooms and some precious home videos.

Because court ran so late Monday, Criner will be sentenced on Tuesday afternoon.

Cammanda has asked for a continuation of his case.

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