Colchester burglar John Price jailed for six years

John Price, 19, of Hargood Close, Colchester, and brother Linchum, of Kettering, admitted being involved in 21 burglaries across the country.

The pair targeted homes they believed contained high value items and stole high value cars and jewellery thought to be worth more than £1 million pounds.

After selling the stolen goods they went on lavish shopping sprees in Harrods.

On one occasion they spent £800 on a pair of children’s shoes.

CCTV and ANPR placed them at burglaries in Lincolnshire, Ipswich, Leicestershire, Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire and Kent.

The brothers used a silver Ford S-Max on cloned plates to commit a number of their crimes.

John Price was stopped by officers in May at a service station in Peterborough where they found cloned car number plates.

Linchum Price was arrested a month later after arousing the suspicion of officers.

In his vehicle was a collection of number plates, ceremonial knives and antibacterial spray.

The pair were later charged conspiracy to commit burglary.

At Canterbury Crown Court last month they were sentenced to six years each.

Detective Sergeant Rob Goodban, of Kent Police, said: “These men were organised and calculated, selling the gold in Hatton Garden and setting up accounts with Harrods to launder the money from their ill-gotten gains.

“They planned their offences, often observing properties to check the occupants were not home then arming themselves and breaking in.

“They relentlessly targeted their victims, travelling to where they believed would be profitable and striking several times in one day.

“They were forensically aware, using anti-bacterial cleaner to try and remove forensic traces and evidentially aware, trying to evade justice by using vehicles on cloned plates.

“The Price brothers thought they would escape arrest by travelling around the country to steal.

“However we work closely with our partners in other forces to strengthen our cases against these criminals.”