‘Ruthless’ burglars in wave of offences
A pair of “prolific and ruthless” burglars made off with a sports club’s safe – in full view of CCTV cameras.
Connor Moore and Joseph Nash targeted businesses across Bath, Bristol and Somerset during a weeks-long crime spree. Police say they hit pubs, restaurants and even a bakery, taking thousands of pounds in the process.
The pair were both jailed at Bristol Crown Court on Friday after admitting multiple charges.
Video released by Avon and Somerset police shows their first successful raid, at a south Bristol sports club on October 22 last year.
Moore, 28, and Nash, 36, can be seen crawling behind the bar and into a back room in the clip.
They then sabotage the CCTV and steal the safe, which is taken back the way they came in – with some effort.
Police say Moore and Nash committed a burglary at a pub in Nailsea a week later, taking cash.
They then continued over the following weeks to target other pubs and restaurants in Bath, Pensford, Bedminster, Clifton and Hanham, as well as a bakery in Backwell.
Their final burglary, on December 1 at a hotel near Long Ashton, saw the pair disturbed and a physical altercation occurred, police say.
They managed to flee but were identified using CCTV, forensics and public information, and arrested within minutes of each other two weeks later.
The pair pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit burglary after evidence was presented of them being involved in a series of break-ins and thefts targeting pubs and other companies to steal cash, police said.
In total, they admitted to being involved in eight burglaries and two further attempted burglaries that happened between October and December 2022.
Moore, of Crosscombe Drive in Hartcliffe, received a jail sentence of two-and-a-half years. Nash, of Coldpark Gardens in Bishopsworth, was jailed for two months longer.
Detective Inspector Keith Smith said: “Two prolific and ruthless burglars have been jailed for their relentless targeting of pubs and restaurants across the force area.
“Our dedicated burglary team progressed the investigation over several weeks, attending scenes, reviewing hours of CCTV footage and following all possible lines of enquiry from information provided by the public.
“This work allowed officers to identify two possible suspects who were swiftly arrested. Searches were conducted at both of the suspects’ home addresses, where crucial items of clothing were located matching what had been seen on CCTV.”