Three men stole more than £38,000 from different retail stores across the North West in just a few weeks.
From February 10 to March 11, 2022, Anthony Hollywood, Anthony Carroll and Daniel Kelly, all from Liverpool, would target stores after closing and "force open" doors with a crowbar. During their month-long spree, the gang stole thousands of pounds from around 10 Co-op and Tesco convenience stores.
Once inside the stores, they would target safes, forcing them open with "sledgehammers and crowbars". Their downfall came when Cheshire Police recovered mobile phone analysis placing the three of them at the scene of a number of incidents.
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The stores they targeted included Knutsford Road in Warrington, Flyde Road in Southport, Balfour Street in Runcorn, Queens Street in Formby, Market Street in Hoylake, Clippers Quay in Salford, Mytrle Road in Liverpool, Coronation Road in Crosby, Collage Road in Crosby and Chaise Meadow in Lymm.
Appearing at Liverpool Crown Court on August 8, all three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary other than a dwelling with intent to steal. Hollywood, 42, and Carroll, 42, both admitted taking part in five of the burglaries, while Kelly, 31, admitted burgling two of the stores.
Carroll also admitted possession of criminal property in relation to cash that was seized at his address following his arrest. At Liverpool Crown Court, the three were jailed for a total of nine years and five months.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Ian Morris from Warrington CID, who led the investigation, said: "I welcome the sentences handed to Hollywood, Kelly and Carroll and I hope they act as a warning to other offenders. The trio were all members of an organised crime gang who carried out a series of carefully orchestrated burglaries at stores across the region.
"During their month-long crime spree, the gang targeted ten stores and stole a total of £38,487. These included stores in Warrington, Southport, Crosby, Liverpool, Runcorn, Salford, Lymm and Hoylake. On each occasion the gang would target the stores after closing, forcing open the electronic doors with a crowbar before prising open the roller shutters.
"Once inside, they targeted the safes, forcing them open with sledgehammers and crowbars. Their downfall came after the team here at Warrington CID recovered ANPR data and mobile phone analysis which placed the trio at the scene of a number of the incidents.
"Following their arrests, all three suspects refused to answer any of the questions put to them by detectives. However, as a result of the strength of the evidence we gathered against them, all three men admitted their roles in the incidents at court and are now facing the consequences of their actions.
"The message is clear, if you come to Cheshire and commit crime, you will be caught and you will be brought to justice."
Hollywood, of Stafford Drive in Liverpool was jailed for three years and four months as Carroll, of Longfellow Street in Liverpool was jailed for two years and four months and Kelly, of Prior Street in Liverpool was jailed for three years and nine months.
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