Two men have been jailed after burglaries of properties across the North of England between September 2023 and January 2024.
Following reports of burglaries at two new-build properties in Carlisle on December 18 2023, Cumbria police officers launched an investigation.
CCTV enquiries were carried out and detectives worked with their counterparts in Northumbria Police to trace a vehicle seen leaving the site at the time of the offence.
It was established that the vehicle used the commit the offences in Carlisle had been identified by Northumbria Police as being involved in multiple burglaries on new build estates where offender would break in and steal items including boilers and white goods.
Michael Bell, 34, of Wynyard Street, Seaham, County Durham, and Mark Blaney, 31, Malvern Crescent, also Seaham, both admitted 14 charges of burglary and were jailed for two years on 29 January at Newcastle Crown Court.
Detective Constable Matthew Owens, OIC for the offences in Cumbria, said: “We will not tolerate burglars targeting any kind of properties.
“Those who do so can expect to face a police investigation and prosecution.
“We continue to target burglars with Operation Themis. Being burgled can be incredibly traumatic and we are committed to working with communities to bring offenders to justice.”
