Two men have been jailed for four-and-a-half-years each for conspiracy to burgle 12 homes across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Surrey.
Between February 13 and April 11 this year, the pair were responsible for targeting homes in Hemel Hempstead, Rickmansworth, Brookmans Park and Kings Langley in Hertfordshire; Caterham (two), Farnham (three) and Warlingham in Surrey; and Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.
Arrests were made on Thursday, April 11, when officers from the Mobile Support Team were alerted that a Volvo XC60 linked to burglaries in Hertfordshire was sighted on the M25. Officers headed to the area and located the vehicle in Surrey. It initially failed to stop for officers and only came to a halt following a tactical stop.
Both occupants then attempted to flee on foot before being caught, arrested and subsequently charged.
A search of the Volvo located incriminating evidence with stolen jewellery in a white pillow case recovered. Later enquiries established that a burglary had taken place in Surrey on the same night ahead of the arrests. CCTV from that property showed a white pillowcase containing items being taken away by two people.
The men pleaded guilty to the offences in court and at St Albans Crown Court on Monday, September 9, they were sentenced to the following:
- Antonio Bilea, 39, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 56 months in prison and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
- Xhuliano Frroku, 26, of Wembley, London, was also sentenced to 56 months in prison, an additional eight months (to run consecutively) for dangerous driving and was disqualified from driving until an extended test is passed. He was also ordered to pay a £228 surcharge.
Detective Constable Simon Smith, of Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Specialist Investigation Team, said: “I’m pleased the two defendants have been given a lengthy prison sentence and taken off the streets.”
Photo credit: Met Police
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