Two burglars who 'thought they had discovered the perfect crime' are now behind bars over a spate of thefts at luxury properties in the Alderley Edge and Presbury areas of Cheshire. Martin Maloney and Christopher Leigh - both from Bolton - carried out a series of burglaries at 'high-value' homes, police said.
A court heard the pair were responsible for 'at least' 21 burglaries between September 2019 and April 2021. In all cases, detached homes in the process of being renovated were targeted, Cheshire Police said.
Maloney, 49, and Leigh, 45, stole high-value tools and luxury fixtures and fittings which were being installed at the properties. The force said the total value of items stolen was believed to amount to around £120,000.
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The pair appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, where they were both sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Maloney, of Dunoon Drive, Smithills, Bolton, and Leigh, of Longfield Road, Daubhill, Bolton, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle.
Police said the pair would meet at a 'secret rendezvous point' in Bolton, leaving their mobile phones behind there and driving to Cheshire. Both men, said the force, were aware of police tactics and thought they had done enough to cover up their offending and avoid detection. They were caught, however, in an elaborate, undercover police sting.
Detective Constable James Hewitt said: "Maloney and Leigh are both experienced offenders who thought they had discovered the perfect crime. The pair would meet at a secret rendezvous point in Bolton where they would leave their mobile phones, before travelling down to Cheshire in a Chrysler Voyager to commit their crimes, making every effort to avoid any CCTV or ANPR cameras on the way.
"Once they had arrived in Cheshire they would target unoccupied homes which were under renovation, thinking they would minimise the risk of any witnesses or forensic evidence. However, their downfall came thanks to the work of the burglary investigation team at Macclesfield.
"On the evening of Tuesday 6 April, 2021 we carried out an undercover operation to catch the pair in the act. During the operation our team followed men from Bolton to an address on the outskirts of Cheshire, where they carried out a burglary at a building site, before arresting them on the M60 as they travelled back to Bolton.
"Following subsequent searches at their homes we recovered some of the stolen items. Banking documents also showed that Maloney had deposited more than £14,000 of his ill-gotten gains into another bank account. As a result of all the evidence we gathered against the pair, we were able to bring them to justice."
Detective Sergeant David Jarvis added: "This was an extremely complex investigation which involved a number of units from across the force. Maloney and Leigh were well aware of police tactics, and they thought that they had done enough to cover up their offences. Thankfully, as a result of the dedication of the team at Macclesfield, the pair are now behind bars and being held accountable for their actions.
"I hope that the outcome of this case demonstrates to local residents how seriously we treat burglary, and also acts as a warning to others who are thinking about coming to Cheshire to commit crime."
