Gang sentenced for string of shop burglaries
A GROUP of burglars have been given prison sentences for a series of shop thefts in Chalfont St Peter, Stoke Poges and Farnham Common.
The gang of five were sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, January 27 after pleading guilty to offences following a series of 15 burglaries where nearly £90,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen from different shops.
Among the group was Ryan Crocker, 21, (bottom left) of Farnham Royal, who was given 30 months in prison and a 20 month driving ban following burglaries at Budgens in Chalfont St Peter and Sainsbury's in Farnham Common in January and March last year.
Det Insp Mark Lynch, leading the investigation, said: "This was a complex and lengthy investigation which took over six months of work to bring those responsible to justice.
"The investigation was led by detectives from the South Bucks area but involved working closely with police officers from six other areas.
"The judge commented that the defendants had acted as a gang and had specifically targeted small businesses, already struggling in the current economic climate, and to make matters worse many had been breaching existing bail conditions for similar type offences.
"I hope that this result sends out a strong message to the community that it is the small minority that choose to commit crime in the area and that we will do all that we can to bring those responsible for any criminal activity to justice."
The post office in Stoke Poges was also the victim of the gang, as were shops in Wokingham, Slough and Hazlemere.
The rest of the gang were Ashley Canavan, 22, of Dorney (top left), Tom Jacob, 21, of Slough (top right), Sam Walker, 21, of Slough (bottom right), and Jack Dainty, 21, of Burnham.
All of the group received custodial sentences for their involvment in the crimes.
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