Four jailed after string of burglaries

Charles Anthony Bell (28), James Peter Frederick Kynaston (29), Sonny George Bradley (30) and Rocky Smith (28) appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday.

Bell, of St Wilfrid’s Road, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary. He was sentenced to four years in prison for each count of burglary, to run concurrently.

Kynaston, of Atebanks Court, Balby, Doncaster, admitted five counts of burglary and one count of possessing criminal property. He was jailed for three years and 11 months.

Bradley, of Warwick Road, Intake, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, one count of dangerous driving and one count of possessing criminal property. He was jailed for 15 months for the burglary and 15 months for the driving offence, to run consecutively, putting him behind bars for two-and-a-half years.

He was also handed a two-year driving ban with a six-month extension and must sit an extended re-test to get his licence back.

Smith, of Dundas Road, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and one count of possessing criminal property, and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.

The gang were arrested in May last year after a high-speed car chase through South Yorkshire.

Officers arrested Smith, Kynaston and Bradley after they fled from a black Mercedes AMG after crossing into West Yorkshire.

Vehicle enquiries revealed the Mercedes was originally red and had been stolen from a property in Rotherham in April 2016.

The driver of the vehicle discarded a cap while fleeing from officers which, when DNA tested, was matched to Bradley who was subsequently charged with dangerous driving.

Det Insp Mark Oughton, from Rotherham, said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation into an organised group of thieves who have worked together to blight residents in Rotherham, Doncaster and Derby, targeting properties they believed would contain high value jewellery, vehicles and cash.

“As part of our investigations into those burglaries, witnesses and victims reported seeing a black Mercedes, matching the one we tracked this group down in.

“I am pleased that thanks to the tenacity of officers in Rotherham this prolific group are now behind bars where they can cause no further harm to our local communities.

“As part of our commitment to ensuring that these individuals do not profit from their crimes, we are pursuing proceedings under Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to seize this group’s ill-gotten criminal gains.

“I hope this positive result reassures victims of burglary, which is an intrusive and unpleasant crime, that we have dedicated officers who will not rest until those responsible for these offences are identified and brought before the courts.”