Black Country car key burglars jailed for string of thefts
Two car key burglars who stole three vehicles – including a £40,000 Mercedes – in just five days have each been locked up for three years.
Ryan Reynolds, aged 20, and 19-year-old Raheem Khan struck first in Howley Grange Road, Halesowen, where they got into a house by breaking the front door lock in the early hours and stealing the keys to a Ford Transit on the drive. The couple who live there were woken by their dog barking and went downstairs to find the vehicle missing together with £300 of computer equipment.
Shortly afterwards the two defendants escaped with a £40,000 Mercedes from an address in nearby Bourne Avenue following a carbon copy burglary, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. They also took £300 in a wallet and credit cards.
The high-powered Mercedes had a tracker, which revealed it was being driven in the Tipton area almost five hours later.
Police found it in Newcomen Drive where officers tried to block it in with a patrol car, which was rammed out of the way by the raiders, who escaped in the car.
Abandoned
It was later found abandoned in Rowley Regis, said Mr Jamie Scott, prosecuting.
Four days later the two defendants – together with a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons and is on the run – took a £4,500 BMW from outside a house in Powke Lane, Rowley Regis, after burgling the address. They broke a door lock as the occupants slept and stole the keys and a £1,000 gold chain hanging alongside them.
Then their loud behaviour woke a resident as they parked the vehicle in Bournes Hill, Halesowen. Their activity was reported to police, who found the stolen BMW abandoned but kept observation in the area.
They spotted a taxi picking up passengers nearby and ordered it to stop. The three culprits had a mole grip, gloves and other equipment for crime and were arrested.
Mr Curtis Myrie, defending, said Reynolds, who like his co accused was of good character, turned to crime in a bid to pay off thousands of pounds of debt, while Khan was immature for his age and easily led.
Reynolds, from Meadow Road, and Khan of New John Street, both Halesowen, each pleaded guilty to three burglaries and three thefts. They were ordered to be detained in a Young Offenders Institution.
Judge Dean Kershaw told them: “This was disgraceful behaviour, which will affect the victims for a long time, if not for ever.”
