Car 'Ringers' Used Creeper Burglaries

A ten-strong criminal network who were stealing high value vehicles in so-called 'creeper burglaries then 'ringing them' and selling them on to innocent members of the public have been jailed for a total of over 20 years at Croydon Crown Court.

In July last year, the Metropolitan Police arrested 17 people across South London in a co-ordinated operation targeting individuals suspected of involvement in car burglaries.

The operation raided 16 addresses in Bromley, Bexley, Croydon, Lewisham and West Kent and recovered a large quantity of dye stained cash, a handgun, seven motor vehicles, a variety of motor vehicle spare parts, a quantity of drugs, and numerous mobile phones.

The operation started as a result of intelligence developed by officers from Bromley Police and the MPS's Stolen Vehicle Unit about a criminal network that were commissioning the theft of cars.

They ranged from Aston Martin's and Mercedes through to more standard family cars. Fifty stolen cars were recovered in the lead up to the operation. The majority were no more than a year old and were taken in break-ins that occurred overnight whilst the owners were asleep upstairs.

The ringing network were using burglars to break into homes, mainly in the Bromley area, and steal the car keys and then take the car of front drive or road. The cars that were stolen in the burglaries were later cloned and sold on for under the market price.

One woman was among those sentenced. Kirsty Burgess, 28, from Beckenham, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and was sentenced to a twelve-month community order.

William Back, 26, who was already in HMP High Down, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and was sentenced to four years.

Jamie Webb, 27, from Sidcup, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, was sentenced to three years and four months.

Jason Webb, 23 of Hither Green, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, was sentenced to two years and eight months. A four month suspended prison sentence for a previous offence was also reactivated.

Freddie Webb, 25, of Swanley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and was sentenced to two years and ten months.

Guy Harbord, 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, was sentenced to one year and eight months. A one year suspended prison sentence for a previous offence was also reactivated.

Perry Brown, 23, from Bromley, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and was sentenced to nine months. Brown also pleaded guilty to possession of Class B drugs (cannabis) with intent to supply and concealing criminal property (£20,000 dye stained cash) and was sentenced to one year and six months imprisonment (consecutive) for these offences.

Tony Nicholls, 40, of Lewisham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and was sentenced to one year and six months. A six month suspended prison sentence for a previous offence was also reactivated.

Leigh Spinks, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and was sentenced to one year and eleven months.

Anthony Murray, 27, from Croydon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and was sentenced to one year, suspended for two years. He was also given a twelve-month supervision order and required to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

(BMcC/KMcA)