A BRAZEN gang has been locked up after stealing more than £3million worth of cars and “wreaking havoc” on their victims.
A total of 11 men have been handed jail or young offenders’ sentences in West Mercia Police’s “biggest conspiracy case” yet.
Over several months, the men broke into homes in the Midlands, south of England and Wales wearing balaclavas, often confronting their victims.
They stole car keys of high-end vehicles, including BMWs, Audis, Land Rovers and Range Rovers, some of which were worth more than £100,000 each.
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As they left the homes, they would then bleach or clean entry and exit points in a bid to eradicate forensic evidence.
The cars were moved around the criminal network, with the gang disguising the vehicles’ original identities and selling them on the black market for a fraction of their value, or stripping them out for parts in ‘chop shops.’
The total cost of the damage to properties, theft of cars and other items, was a staggering £3.67million.
Footage shared on WhatsApp and Snapchat showed the men bragging about their crimes and racing away from crime scenes at speeds as high as 160mph.
A number of victims, which included elderly people and families with young children, were left feeling so unsafe that they moved house.
The men were sentenced over two days this week at Worcester Crown Court.
On April 16, the following men were sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and one count of conspiracy to conceal/disguise/transfer/remove criminal property:
On April 17, the following men were sentenced after being onvicted of one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and one count of conspiracy to conceal/disguise/transfer/remove criminal property:
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Andrew Lockhart KC said: “The terrible and long-lasting impact of your offences strike at the heart of society who should feel safe and secure in their own homes.
“You wreaked havoc upon their lives without any thought for them. Families endured fear and children were affected by your actions. A significant portion of your victims were forced to move home as they couldn’t face living there anymore.
“You caused them huge financial losses. Sentimental items were taken and relationships between families were harmed by the stress you caused them.”
Another gang member, a 17-year-old boy from Stratford-upon-Avon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced separately at Worcester Crown Court in January to a detention and training order for 14 months.
West Mercia Police said the investigation, which was dubbed Operation Flare, included 130 offences and took a year.
“We hope the sentences handed out today will send a message that we will come after these gangs and prosecute where appropriate to get justice for those impacted by their offending,” said DC Joshua Hunt who was co-lead on the investigation, alongside DC Simon Lloyd.
Detective Inspector James Bamber of Proactive CID added: “This result is for those victims. We hope it brings them some sense of justice and helps them to move on with their lives after the harm this gang have caused them.
“I would like to pay tribute to the Op Flare team for their hard work and dedication on this case which has seen justice delivered for more than a hundred victims across the country.”
