A JUDGE has jailed two Bradford men for ten years each after police smashed a burglary ring where cars valued at nearly £200,000 were stolen in a few weeks.

Sentencing Rizwan Zeb and John Robert Trotter at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said the conspiracy which they were “leading lights” in involved 12 professional burglaries in West Yorkshire.

Premises in Bingley, Liversedge, Cleckheaton, Huddersfield and Halifax were targeted for high value goods.

The burglars used cars to travel from Bradford taking equipment such as vice grips with them and, on at least one occasion within a short time, one of the vehicles stolen was fitted with false registration plates matching a genuine car on a garage forecourt in Teesside.

Judge Marson said: “Victims have spoken clearly of the devastation and distress which these offences of burglary have caused carried out a night while people were sleeping in their beds.

"These are hard-working, decent people who work in order to obtain these items for themselves.

“The consequences for them not only physical but psychological are great and I have heard of the distress caused to children as a result of these offences.

“This is not about property in itself it is about the invasion of peoples’ homes. This was professional crime and it calls for proper sentences.”

Michael Smith, prosecuting, told the court before the period covered by the conspiracy in February, Trotter was also involved in a burglary at Ryedale, Kirkheaton, Huddersfield where a Volkswagen Golf was stolen.

It was subsequently seen on the M62 and because of its speed was followed by officers. As it was pursued it reached 100 mph before turning on to the Euroway Trading Estate where it crashed into a telegraph pole. The car was a write-off causing considerable problem for its owner who had a disabled child.

The conspiracy covered two weeks in February. Houses targeted included an address in Upper Hall View, Halifax where the lock was snapped on the door and an Audi and BMW stolen from outside, only the Audi was recovered.

Two vehicles were stolen from the drive of a house in Well Green, Brighouse, after a lock on the patio door was snapped and the contents of a handbag were found strewn outside.

On the night of February 19 two vehicles valued at a total of £70,000 were taken from the drive of an address in Bingley after the kitchen door lock was removed to get the keys inside the house.

On the evening of February 22 two houses in Norrishorpe Avenue, Liversedge, were targeted. The burglars did not get into one property where a handle was broken on a conservatory near where an 11-year-old boy was asleep.

In the other bamboo canes from the greenhouse with a hook on the end were used to try to car keys inside. Trotter’s DNA was found on the canes.

While on bail for the conspiracy Zeb was also caught at his address in Gladstone Street, Bradford Moor, with crack cocaine and heroin worth £12,500.

Zeb, 26, admitted conspiracy to burgle and possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply. John Robert Trotter, 26 of Brendon Walk, Holme Wood, Bradford, admitted two burglaries, aggravated vehicle taking and conspiracy to burgle. He also asked for 13 other offences including 12 of burglary involving more than £170,000 of property to be taken into consideration. Both were jailed for ten years.

Trotter’s cousin Robert Trotter, 29, of Burnham Avenue, Bierley, Bradford, who admitted two burglaries, two thefts and one attempted burglary was jailed for three years.

Waheed Khalil, 26, of Selbourne Terrace, Heaton, Bradford who admitted two burglaries and three theft was given a three and a half year jail term to run concurrent with a sentence of 22 years he is already serving.

Wajid Hussain, 26, of Thorn Lane, Heaton, was given three and a half years for three burglaries and three offences of theft.

Usman Ellahi, 22, of Hedge Way, Fairweather Green, Bradford, who was found guilty by a jury on two charges of handling stolen property was jailed for 18 months.

Judge Marson commended officers for their work on the case.

After the case, Detective Inspector Mark Walker, of the Kirklees District Crime Teams, said: "No matter how organised these criminals think they are we will do everything in our power to bring them to justice."

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