Two men jailed after stealing car from Daventry home while owners slept
The pair broke in and took the keys to a grey Cupra parked on the driveway
Two men who broke into a home in Daventry and stole the owner's car have been jailed for more than two years each.
Warren Lee-Smith and Liam Kelly admitted burglary at the house in Preston Drive and stealing the homeowner's car.
The break-in happened shortly after midnight on 2nd April 2025.
The pair got into the house and took two sets of car keys, before driving off in a grey Cupra Formentor parked on the driveway.
A few hours later, one of the homeowners went downstairs to find the front door open and the Cupra gone.
They reported it to Northamptonshire Police, and an investigation identified that a BMW 3 Series had been used to commit the offence.
After the details of both the BMW and the Cupra were shared with neighbouring forces, Lee-Smith and Kelly were arrested in Loughborough after being stopped by officers from Leicestershire Police.
Following an investigation by Northamptonshire Police's Burglary Team, Kelly, Lee-Smith and a third man were all charged via postal requisition with one count of burglary dwelling and one count of theft from a motor vehicle.
On 6th July this year, all three had their case committed to Northampton Crown Court by magistrates.
24-year-old Lee-Smith, of Woodway Lane in Coventry, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison on 20th August.
23-year-old Kelly, of Windmill Way in Southam, was sentenced to two years and four months at a separate hearing at Warwickshire Crown Court on 28th August.
The third defendant, a 20-year-old man from Leamington Spa, was issued with a police caution.
PC Mark Edkins, who led the investigation on behalf of the West LPA Burglary Team, said: "People often underestimate how violating it can feel to know that someone has been inside your home with the sole intent of stealing your property.
"Warren Lee-Smith and Liam Kelly committed this callous crime in the early hours of the morning when their victims were at their most vulnerable and asleep in bed.
"We know how much a crime such as this can affect someone which is why we will always do everything we can to bring offenders to justice and put more people like them behind bars.
"Through Operation Crooked, we are fully committed to reducing burglaries and will continue acting on information provided to take robust action towards and spare residents the anguish of being a victim of burglary."
Operation Crooked is Northamptonshire Police's campaign to reduce burglary.