Balaclava gang behind £16k house raid and 28 mile police chase unmasked

Members of a balaclava gang behind the theft of a £16,000 car in Warwickshire have been unmasked. Images of four of the five have been revealed by police.

The other, who is aged under 18 cannot be identified for legal reasons. All five were behind a break-in at a home in Stratford and then a police chase that spanned from Warwickshire into Birmingham.

Warwickshire Police said that in the early hours of February 1, the masked gang broke into a home in Stratford to steal the keys to a £16,000 Seat Leon Cupra. They then made off in that car and a black Audi in convoy.

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Officers said that the homeowner heard a noise and immediately called 999. Patrol cars were dispatched and used CCTV which revealed that the stolen Seat, together with the black Audi, was travelling through Henley in Arden towards Birmingham.

Less than half an hour after it was stolen, officers caught up with the Seat in Solihull but it failed to stop for them. This led to a police chase that ended when its tyres were stung as it travelled towards Acocks Green - around 28 miles away from where it was stolen from.

All of the occupants fled the vehicle. But they were found and arrested nearby. Meanwhile, the black Audi was located on the motorway before being stopped and its occupants were arrested.

At Warwick Crown Court on Friday 1 November all five were sentenced. They were:

• Josh Wagstaffe, aged 22, of Blackberry Lane in Stratford Upon Avon, received a 2 years 10 months sentence for burglary dwelling, theft of a motor vehicle and possession of cannabis.

• Anthony Bartram, aged 32, of Hobs Moat Road in Solihull, who received a 2 years 6 months sentence for burglary dwelling and theft of a motor vehicle

• Archie Evans, aged 20, of Hollyhock Road in Birmingham, received a 20 month sentence suspended for 2 years and 200 hours unpaid work requirement for burglary dwelling and theft of a motor vehicle

• Liam Jones, aged 18, of Selcroft Avenue in Birmingham, received a 2 year community order and 150 hours community service for burglary dwelling and theft of a motor vehicle

• Another male from Birmingham, who cannot be identified as they are aged under 18, received a 12 month youth referral, £385 costs and was disqualified from driving for 12 months for burglary dwelling, theft of a motor vehicle , dangerous driving, fail to stop for police when directed, driving otherwise in accordance with a license, and driving without insurance.

Speaking after the court sentencing, Detective Constable Aiden Griffiths said: "Being the victim of a burglary is an extremely distressing experience and it can leave people feeling unsafe in their own home. Why these five offenders believed they had the right to break into someone’s home, invade their privacy and steal their car is known only to them.

“One thing is for certain, if you come to Warwickshire thinking you can do this to our residents we will be coming for you and we will do everything in our power to get you before the courts.

“We’d like to thank the homeowner for their quick thinking in calling us straight away when they would have been under significant stress. This allowed us to act swiftly and have these offenders in custody within hours."

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