Blues star’s home target of ‘high-end raids’ gang
BURGLARS RAIDED HOUSES OF CELEBS AND WEALTHY BUSINESSMEN
BURGLARS stole more than a half a million pounds worth of luxury items after targeting the homes of wealthy individuals including City footballer Raheem Sterling, a court heard.
Thomas Mee, 42, Vincent Ball, 52, and John Barlow, 58, all from Liverpool, admitted conspiracy to burgle homes across the UK, Chester Crown Court was told.
Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay’s house in Buckinghamshire was among those targeted by the gang, as well as the homes of Bury FC chairman Steve Dale and Mansfield Town FC owner John Radford. Simon Parry, prosecuting, said: “These three defendants are a team of highly organised and sophisticated house burglars who have travelled to various parts of the UK, including here in Cheshire.”
He said the three targeted the homes of ‘high-wealth individuals’ and used sophisticated techniques such as cloned number plates and ‘dirty phones’ to avoid detection.
The court heard the defendants attempted to burgle Sterling’s home in Goostrey, Cheshire, on November 4, 2018. Simon Parry, prosecuting, said: “Fortunately the alarm system at the address activated and scared the burglars away. Nothing was taken.”
A total of more than £550,000 of jewellery, watches and handbags was taken from 14 properties across Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire, Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire between November 2018 and October 2019, the court heard.
Photos of some of the handbags were found on the phone of Mee, who admitted handling stolen goods.
On October 5 2019, the burglars were disturbed while in the Prestbury home of Mr Dale. Watches worth between £300,000 and £500,000 were dropped by the intruders as Mr Dale’s son gave chase and they left the property with only a £10 note.
They were later arrested and items including balaclavas, binoculars, crow bars and cloned number plates were found in a car used by the men.
Officers also found £125,000 in cash during a search of one of Mee’s properties. Andrew Alty, defending Mee, said it was the defendant’s case that the money was legitimate.
Judge Steven Everett adjourned sentencing of Mee, of Dunnerdale Road, Norris Green; Barlow, of no fixed address; and Ball, of Ranworth Place, Norris Green, until Monday.