A BURGLARY gang who went on a spree across Widnes and the North West, stealing goods worth more than £300,000, have been jailed for a total of nearly 20 years.
Kevin Andrews, 29, and Kyle Andrews, 23, both of no fixed abode, as well as Katie Gilsenan, 19, of Sutton Leach, St Helens, and Simon Bosworth, 27, of Wyredale Avenue, also St Helens, were sentenced at Warrington Crown Court on Monday, January 4.
Kyle Andrews was jailed for five years and two months, while Kevin Andrews has been caged for six years.
Gilsenan meanwhile has been to sentenced to three years imprisonment, while Bosworth has been jailed for five years and four months.
A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesman said the four committed 34 burglaries over four months, while a Cheshire police spokeswoman told the Weekly News that four were in Widnes.
Officers from both the Greater Manchester and Cheshire forces noticed a sudden increase in similar burglaries being committed across Wigan, Bolton, St Helens and North Cheshire, Widnes and Warrington.
The GMP spokesman added that some of the burglaries involved cars being taken with either ‘cloned’ or stolen number plates placed on them.
Other burglaries involved houses being broken into and high-value items taken, with even wrapped presents being stolen from underneath Christmas trees, and officers valued the stolen property in excess of £320,000, the GMP spokesman added.
GMP and Cheshire police launched a joint investigation and in November 2014 Bosworth was arrested, while the other three defendants were arrested the following month, the Manchester force said.
Speaking after the sentencing, Det Sgt Nigel Rigby from GMP said: “This was a joint operation between us and Cheshire police to put an end to the spate of burglaries being committed by this group. The levels of research attached to the locating and selection of suitable ‘cloned’ number plates displayed a high level of organised criminality.
“They showed no signs of stopping whatsoever and two families were devastated to discover last Christmas that their wrapped Christmas presents had been stolen from beneath the Christmas tree.
“Their motive was purely financial and their desire to acquire items of high value, ultimately lead to their downfall when some of these items were recovered upon their arrest.
“I hope today’s sentences shows the lengths we will go to, to stop organised criminals from blighting our communities and damaging people’s lives.”
The gang stole jewellery, cash, laptops, clothing and car keys with up to 30 cars stolen, more than half of which were recovered, police said.
Also speaking after the sentencing, Det Con Alex Reeves from the Cheshire force said: “Often families, many of whom had young children, would return home to discover the devastation left by Andrews and his associates. Kevin and Kyle Andrews and Simon Bosworth were actively involved in breaking into their victims’ homes.
“Bosworth was identified after his fingerprints were found on a child’s piggy bank which he had smashed open and stolen cash from.
“This conviction is a great result for the victims. Burglary is a very emotive and intrusive crime, and to be targeted just before Christmas only compounds the situation.
“So to see these offenders behind bars should hopefully help them feel that justice has been done.
“This conviction shows just how valuable working with our colleagues in other constabularies is in tackling cross border criminals.
“We will continue to work together to tackle offending and prevent crime.”
The court told the Weekly News that Bosworth, Gilsenan and Kevin Andrews were sentenced for charges including theft of a motor vehicle, burglary, and conspiracy to commit burglary, while Kyle Andrews was sentenced for the latter two offences.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/