MEMBERS of a criminal network, responsible for a series of high profile burglaries of stately homes in the South West and the Midlands, have been put in prison for a total of 87 years.
The criminal group, commonly known as the Johnsons because members were either family or close friends, were targeted by five police forces – Gloucestershire, Thames Valley, West Mercia, Warwickshire and Wiltshire – in Operation Haul.
Fifteen members of the crime network have been imprisoned for 87 years between them for committing over 100 offences between 2003 and 2006, including house burglaries that netted them over £23 million.
"We are extremely satisfied with the outcome of this very protracted and complex investigation, and delighted to now be able to tell people in our communities of the major success we have achieved," said Gloucestershire’s Deputy Chief Constable, Mark Polin.
"The group and their associates have long felt themselves above the law, and have been notorious across Gloucestershire and the South of England.
"They have traded on a reputation established over many years; a reputation that has on occasion exceeded their criminal capability.
"In the early months they escaped arrest simply through good fortune, and they will probably never know just how lucky they were. We were convinced, however, that this luck would inevitably run out."
The five police forces launched Operation Haul in October 2005, but later split into two operations – one investigating a series of thefts of valuable metals and the other investigating burglaries of large country homes and ATM machines.
Deputy Chief Constable Polin added: "While I sincerely hope the group who are now imprisoned are rehabilitated during their confinement, they and the community should rest assured that if they return to criminality upon release it will be our intention to deal with them in the same manner and ensure they are returned to prison once more."
Ricky Johnson, 54, father of the Cheltenham-based family, and his two sons and two nephews were given up to 11 years each for conspiracy to burgle at Reading Crown Court.
Other members of the criminal network were given sentences of between two and six years imprisonment.
