A burglary gang of five men who committed several burglaries that cost victims over £500,000 have been jailed for a combined total of over 37-years.
The gang from Cheltenham committed the crimes over four counties, a sixth man who assisted the group by storing stolen cash was jailed for a total 13 months, though he has served the entire time on remand in custody.
The South West crimewave included raids on three homes in Swindon and others elsewhere, along with raids on an auctioneers in Sevenhampton as well.
The robberies were carried out between August 2019 and February 2020, across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.
The six men sentenced at the end of a three-day hearing were: David Benyon, Josh Brammer, Sonny Curran, Jason Hawkins, Ryan McCormick and Max Smith.
Gang members
CPS
All but Hawkins admitted two charges of conspiracy to burgle, one charge of conspiracy to steal and an additional burglary charge.
All defendants, including Hawkins, pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property.
Curran, Smith and McCormick and Benyon further admitted an additional burglary charge.
The Swindon Advertiser reports that the court was told Hawkins had a lesser role because he played no physical part in the burglaries - but was always in the area when a crime was being committed by other gang members. Stolen jewellery and cash was found at his home.
Prosecutor Robin Shellard said: “The estimated cost of the offending is £616,650. This is made up of the loss of items £508,000 and the damage caused to property amounted to £107,000.
“These figures do not include business interruption costs. One of the burglaries was of a Post Office which suffered a loss of income of £50,000 due to the damage done.
“For some victims the loss was too much to bear and they went out of business."
