Four men aged 18-26 have been jailed for a total of 18 years after taking part in a 12 week burglary spree last summer across South London and South West London including Sutton.
They were all convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary after detectives had painstakingly linked them to a total of 45 offences.
Four men aged 18-26 have been jailed for a total of 18 years after taking part in a 12 week burglary spree last summer across South London and South West London including Sutton.
They were all convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary after detectives had painstakingly linked them to a total of 45 offences.
Their favoured method of entry was to force they way in through the front door - and in the vast majority of burglaries they did so in broad daylight from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
They used luxury, high performance Audi and Mercedes cars as getaway vehicles.
At nine addresses, they broke in to steal the keys to cars parked outside the property - mostly targeting the same vehicles - Audi and Mercedes and also VW Golfs, some of which were used in further offences on different number plates. They also targeted cash, jewellery, digital cameras and passports.
Eight addresses were targeted in Sutton including Highfield Road, Sutton; Link Lane, Wallington; Lordsbury Field, Wallington; Godalming Avenue, Wallington; Hillview Road, Sutton; Greenhill, Sutton; Carleton Avenue, Wallington; and Westminster Road, Sutton.
The 45 offences took place between 27 May 2015 to 19 August 2015 - when they were arrested by police in Sutton after suspects were seen breaking into an address in Westminster Road, Sutton.
On police arrival, the suspects jumped into a waiting Audi parked outside the address. But this time their Audi getaway car, which had been stolen in a previous burglary, failed to start and the driver was detained.
The other three occupants fled but were found and detained by police. They were all arrested and subsequently charged.
During a protracted investigation, Sutton detectives were able to link the suspects to the vehicles which had been stolen, and property found in the vehicles to burglaries.
In addition, detectives built up compelling CCTV evidence which included images from domestic CCTV systems and even evidence of the suspects swapping number plates used in the offences.
At Croydon Crown Court on Thursday, 17 March Tom Ward, aged 26, (13.01.1990), of Ilderton Road caravan park, Peckham, was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit burglary and four months imprisonment for driving whilst disqualified. The sentences are to run concurrently.
At the same Court on Wednesday, 9 March, the following were sentenced for conspiracy to commit burglary:
- Anthony Casey: aged 26 (08.10.1989), of St Helena Road, SE16, to six years imprisonment
- Martin Corcoran: aged 18 (23.04.1997), of Ilderton Road caravan park, Peckham, to three years imprisonment
- Martin Sweeney, aged 23 (20.01.1993), of Ripley Close, Croydon, to five years imprisonment.
They had all pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.
Det Insp Chuks Gwam, of Sutton Police Station, said: "Burglary remains a priority offence and we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators to justice."
They used luxury, high performance Audi and Mercedes cars as getaway vehicles.
At nine addresses, they broke in to steal the keys to cars parked outside the property - mostly targeting the same vehicles - Audi and Mercedes and also VW Golfs, some of which were used in further offences on different number plates. They also targeted cash, jewellery, digital cameras and passports.
Eight addresses were targeted in Sutton including Highfield Road, Sutton; Link Lane, Wallington; Lordsbury Field, Wallington; Godalming Avenue, Wallington; Hillview Road, Sutton; Greenhill, Sutton; Carleton Avenue, Wallington; and Westminster Road, Sutton.
The 45 offences took place between 27 May 2015 to 19 August 2015 - when they were arrested by police in Sutton after suspects were seen breaking into an address in Westminster Road, Sutton.
On police arrival, the suspects jumped into a waiting Audi parked outside the address. But this time their Audi getaway car, which had been stolen in a previous burglary, failed to start and the driver was detained.
The other three occupants fled but were found and detained by police. They were all arrested and subsequently charged.
During a protracted investigation, Sutton detectives were able to link the suspects to the vehicles which had been stolen, and property found in the vehicles to burglaries.
In addition, detectives built up compelling CCTV evidence which included images from domestic CCTV systems and even evidence of the suspects swapping number plates used in the offences.
At Croydon Crown Court on Thursday, 17 March Tom Ward, aged 26, (13.01.1990), of Ilderton Road caravan park, Peckham, was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit burglary and four months imprisonment for driving whilst disqualified. The sentences are to run concurrently.
At the same Court on Wednesday, 9 March, the following were sentenced for conspiracy to commit burglary:
- Anthony Casey: aged 26 (08.10.1989), of St Helena Road, SE16, to six years imprisonment
- Martin Corcoran: aged 18 (23.04.1997), of Ilderton Road caravan park, Peckham, to three years imprisonment
- Martin Sweeney, aged 23 (20.01.1993), of Ripley Close, Croydon, to five years imprisonment.
They had all pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.
Det Insp Chuks Gwam, of Sutton Police Station, said: "Burglary remains a priority offence and we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators to justice."