UPDATE: |The baby-faced Greater Manchester burglars who preyed on flash cars by the motorway News

“They had no regard for the impact their crimes would have upon their victims”

A gang of young burglars from Greater Manchester carried out a 14-raid spree on homes near the M62. Their target was a high-powered cars – with a preference for Mercedes vehicles.

In total the gang escaped with eight vehicles worth almost a quarter of a million pounds. The burglaries began in March 2024 and continued into late April that year. There were five raids in one night on March 30th 2024.

All the burglaries were close to the M62. Predominantly they involved detached houses, and the target appeared to be high-powered motor vehicles outside the addresses. The gang smashed their way through rear patio doors of the properties to get keys for the vehicles.

Cheshire Police launched Operation Reprimanded to catch the gang. The 14 offences occurred between 24 March and 20 April, including 13 in Warrington and 1 in Middlewich.

Following enquiries, on Thursday 26 September, a team of officers from Cheshire Police and Greater Manchester Police executed warrants at three addresses in Manchester and Ashton-under-Lyne.

Aaron Gee, Mason Kenny, and Brandon Day were arrested during the raids, while Joshua Irving, from Manchester, was produced from prison. They were all jailed this week.

Irving, aged 21, of HMP Altcourse, was sentenced to four years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to steal motor vehicles, burglary, attempted burglary, and theft of motor vehicles.

Gee, aged 21, of Victoria Avenue, Manchester, was sentenced to 30 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.

Kenny, aged 18, of Lodge Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, was sentenced to eight months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.

Day, aged 20, of Longton Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 12 months after pleading guilty to assisting an offender.

Irving’s sentence also includes charges of burglary, attempted burglary, and theft of motor vehicles which are separate to the conspiracy offences. These relate to separate burglary offences committed between 9 June 2022 and 5 July 2022. Irving targeted eight properties in Warrington and stole five motor vehicles.

Following the sentencing for Op Reprimanded, Detective Constable Rob Catterall said: “These men clearly targeted these properties with the intention of stealing high-powered motor vehicles from the driveways. This totalled £244,000.

“They had no regard for the impact their crimes would have upon their victims. People’s homes should be spaces where they feel safe and secure, so to have that cruelly violated, often during the early hours of the morning when they were asleep, must have been frightening.

“I hope the sentences handed to these four men will reassure the community that we take offences of this nature incredibly seriously and will work tirelessly to find those responsible and bring them to justice.”

The raids committed by the gang were:

24 March 2024

Burglary at an address in Kilsyth Close, Poulton with Fearnhead. A Mercedes was stolen.

27 March 2024

Attempted burglary at an address in Blakehill Drive, Great Sankey.

Attempted burglary at an address in Littledale Road, Great Sankey.

Burglary at an address in Tourney Green, Burtonwood and Westbrook. A Mercedes was stolen.

Burglary at an address in Holbrook Close, Great Sankey.

Burglary at an address in Fir Grove, Poulton with Fearnhead. A wallet was stolen.

30 March 2024

Burglary at an address in Malvern Close, Great Sankey.

Burglary at an address in Aviemore Drive.

Burglary at an address in Aviemore Drive. A Land Rover and a Mercedes were stolen.

Burglary at an address in Waterworks Lane, Winwick. A rucksack was stolen.

Burglary at an address in Waterworks Lane, Winwick.

4 April 2024

Burglary at an address in Dexter Way, Middlewich. Two high-powered motor vehicles were stolen

13 April 2024

Burglary at an address in Acton Avenue, Appleton. A Mercedes was stolen.

20 April 2024

Burglary at an address in Carmarthen Close, Burtonwood and Westbrook. A Mercedes was stolen.