Homes raided by gang who stole cash, cars and jewellery

A GANG carried out a series of wellplanned burglaries across South Wales targeting elderly victims, and stealing large quantities of cash and jewellery, a court has heard.

The burglars used stolen cars on cloned number plates in the raids, and on one occasion threatened a relative of one of their victim’s with a knife and a screwdriver.

Their reign ended when their getaway car flipped onto its roof during a high-speed police chase.

South Wales Police have welcomed the jailing of the gang members, and said their major investigation into a string of some 100 burglaries across the region – codenamed Operation Timmia – continues.

Swansea Crown Court heard the gang, who included a youth who cannot be named for legal reasons, stole cash, jewellery, personal items and cars in five linked burglaries.

It was after the fifth burglary that the defendants were caught.

The youth, who is now aged 16 and is from Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of burglary when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. The court heard he had already been sentenced to a youth referral order for his part in the Newport burglary.

John Connors, aged 18, of Rhossilli Avenue, Rumney, Cardiff, had previously admitted three counts of burglary and the theft of the Mercedes when he appeared alongside his fellow teenager.

William Edward Joyce, aged 23, of Bonymaen Road, Bonymaen, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, and the theft of a Mazda car.

Patrick McAllister, aged 27, of the Shirenewton travellers site, Wentloog Road, Rumney, Cardiff, had previously pleaded guilty to burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour in the hospital.

The court heard Connors had a previous conviction for dangerous driving, Joyce had convictions for shoplifting, robberies, batteries and public order matters, and McAllister had previous convictions for theft, motoring matters, and common assault, and in 2015 had been sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to 78 months for four burglaries – a sentence later reduced to five-and-a-half years on appeal.

Hywel Davies, for the 16-year-old, said his young client had made “great progress” while being held on remand, and “has shown he can change”.

David Leathley, for Connors, said his client had become involved in the “ill-advised adventure” after running up a £1,000 cocaine debt. The barrister added that the teenager is due to become a father in July.

Clare Fear, for McAllister, said her client felt “bitterly disappointed in himself” for having got involved in the burglary as the getaway driver, and said he did so after being offered “an easy way to make money”.

Ian Ibrahim, for Joyce, said the father-of-three had left school at the age of 11 and gone to work in the family scrap business. He said his client realised he had “set an awful example” for his own children.

Judge Patrick Curran QC told then defendants they had been part of gang targeting mainly older victims in a series of well-planned raids.

He said quite apart from the monetary loss to the victims, the burglaries had a major psychological impact, and had left them feeling insecure and vulnerable in their own homes.

The 16-year-old defendant, who has been on remand since being arrested in November, was made the subject of a intensive supervision and surveillance requirement, and a three-month electronically monitored nightly curfew.

Connors was sentenced to a total of two years and four months in detention, and was banned from driving for three years.

Joyce was sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison, and was also banned from driving for three years. McAllister – whom the judge referred to as a “determined burglar undeterred by even lengthy prison sentences” – was sentenced to a total of four years and three months. He was disqualified from driving for five years

William Edward Joyce