Two more sentenced in £600k burglary plot targeting stores across the UK
Gang carried out 89 smash-and-grab burglaries stealing vast cash sums
Two additional members of a gang responsible for a £600,000 burglary conspiracy have been sentenced this week at Winchester Crown Court, bringing the total number convicted to eight.
The group carried out targeted smash-and-grab thefts from stores across the UK, focusing on cash machines and using stolen or borrowed vehicles. Locations spanned Somerset to Norfolk, alongside counties including Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Staffordshire, and Wales, resulting in significant financial losses and extensive damage.
The burglary spree took place from April 2022 to September 2023 and involved a total of 89 offences. The gang was previously described in court by the judge as behaving like a "wild and feral pack," showing no regard for the livelihoods or safety of others.
This week, James Anthony Hocking, 38, of Coniston Gardens, Eastleigh, received a four-year jail sentence. Hocking was linked to at least 14 burglaries and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.
Stephanie Seton-Smith, 25, of Bodycoats Road, Chandler’s Ford, also appeared in court for her involvement in the plot. She lent her car to gang member Liam Attrill, who used the vehicle during break-ins as far afield as Northampton and Norwich. Seton-Smith provided false driver details on three occasions and received £300 each time her car was used. She was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence for assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice. She must also complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation days.
Earlier, six men were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy, receiving a combined total of 28 years in prison. Among them was Danny Kernaghan, 39, identified as one of the ringleaders and linked to 71 offences, including the theft of £60,000 worth of products from a vape store in Yeovil, Somerset.
Other gang members included Leevan Sharma, 37, linked to 31 offences; Liam Dean Attrill, 26, linked to 15 offences; Harrison Sean Randall, 29, linked to 13 offences; Ravi Mahendra Parmar, 43, linked to five offences; and Albert Wyraz, 28, linked to 12 offences.
Judge Christopher Parker KC described the crimes as "targeted, rapid smash-and-grab burglaries," sentencing Kernaghan to nine years in prison, Sharma to six years, Randall to four years, Attrill to three years and four months, Wyraz to three years, and Parmar to two years and six months.
Investigating officer Paul Harrison said: “This has been a very long and complex investigation, but I am pleased to see this has culminated with sentences today. Not only have they wreaked havoc on businesses across the country, stealing a vast sum, but they caused misery for people whose cars or number plates they took. Through relentless efforts involving multiple police services and partners, we have brought them to justice.”
The gang’s actions stretched across 23 counties, including Kent, Sussex, Somerset, London, and Norfolk, targeting Co-op stores and similar businesses.
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