Teenage burglars jailed after police dog chase in Billericay
The pair were linked to dozens of break-ins and car thefts across six counties
Two teenage burglars have been jailed after being linked to dozens of break-ins and vehicle thefts across six counties.
Callum Lackenby and Caner Yakut, both 18, were arrested by Essex Police in separate incidents in February.
Enquiries later connected the pair to a series of high-value burglaries and vehicle thefts across Essex, Suffolk, Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex and the Thames Valley area.
Lackenby was arrested in the early hours of 2nd February after officers responded to a report of a burglary in Billericay.
Police were called shortly after 3am to a report of three people in a garden.
The homeowner later discovered her car keys had been taken from her handbag and her BMW had been stolen from the driveway.
PC Martin Swain, who was on patrol nearby, pursued the stolen car as the driver fled at speed, before it crashed through a hedge and came to a stop in a field.
Lackenby ran into dense bushes trying to escape, but was found by Police Dog Kaiser and arrested at 3:44am.
On 20th February, officers on patrol in Southend spotted a stolen Volkswagen Golf.
The vehicle sped away when officers activated their blue lights, before being driven dangerously through the city at high speeds and through red lights.
Southend Council CCTV operators tracked the car after officers briefly lost sight of it, identifying where the driver abandoned it and ran off.
A suspect wearing a balaclava was then spotted running along the seafront.
Yakut was found hiding behind a café and arrested at Taser point, wearing a balaclava and gloves and carrying a screwdriver.
While the pair were on remand, enquiries by Suffolk Constabulary and partner forces linked them to a wider series of burglaries and vehicle thefts, identifying them as operating together as part of an organised crime group.
They targeted high-value vehicles including BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Mini Countryman, Seat Ibiza and Renault Captur models.
Police said their offending typically involved breaking into homes at night, stealing car keys and driving away in victims' cars while people were asleep inside.
Yakut admitted robbery, dwelling burglary, handling stolen goods, theft, driving without insurance, possession of cannabis and failing to stop for police, with 24 further burglaries taken into consideration.
He was jailed for 54 months at Basildon Crown Court on 20th July.
Lackenby admitted burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance, with 27 further offences taken into consideration.
He was sentenced to three years behind bars at Southend Crown Court on 3rd August.
Chief Inspector Paul Hogben said: "These offenders targeted people while they were asleep in their own homes, stealing vehicle keys and leaving victims to deal with the emotional and financial impact of their crimes."
"The arrests made by our officers in Billericay and Southend proved crucial in uncovering the wider extent of their offending, and close partnership working with colleagues across several police forces helped build the full picture of the harm they were causing."
"Thanks to that work, two prolific offenders are now behind bars and unable to continue targeting communities across the region."