Failed Brentford Heist Led to Round Up of Car Theft Gang
14 convicted after part of crew tried to steal cash machine
Montage of the gang members convicted . Picture: Met Police
December 1, 2023
A gang of criminals who were responsible for a spate of thefts of high value cars have been jailed after a bungled attempt to steal a cash machine in Brentford.
The crew are believed to have stolen vehicles worth in total around £750,000 and in April 2021 made an unsuccessful attempt to take I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here host, Declan Donnelly’s black Range Rover from outside his Chiswick home.
On Thursday 6 February 2020, at around 12:17am, 31-year-old Ellis Glynne from Feltham, 24-year-old Connor Murray from Heston, 33-year-old James Brandford from Stanwell, 22-year-old Tyler Smallworth from Hounslow and 44-year-old Robert Green attempted to rip an ATM out of a convenience store on London Road.
They tied a rope to a white van in attempt to pull the machine out but the plan didn’t work and, during the failed attempt, the police arrived. The five men fled the scene in an Audi car but left the van along with a power tool they had also used to try and prise out the machine.
Police immediately initiated a forensic examination of the finds and this linked back to one of the men on the raid.
This in turn gave them access to detailed phone cell data which allowed them to identify the others involved. The gang had not taken their mobiles on the raid but had earlier used them to make contact with each other during the preparation of the burglary.
Further analysis of CCTV in the area showed the group travelling in the van and the Audi through Brentford that night.
As the investigation continued, it soon became apparent that the men were part of a larger group that was responsible for the theft of multiple high value vehicles in West London between January and July 2021. CCTV and footage from doorbells revealed that they employed high tech devices which used signals that duplicate a car key to carry out the thefts. During this time the stole 14 cars, all Range Rovers and BMWs.
A total of 14 men were arrested between July and October 2021 as part of this investigation and were charged with drug and driving related offences, conspiracy to commit burglary, and conspiracy to steal. Of the 14 men, 12 pleaded guilty and two others were found guilty during a number of court hearings at various stages.
Nine of the men were sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, 27 November. Glynne was jailed for seven years, Murray received six and Brandford and Green got three years each having both pleaded not guilty.
The rest of the gang received sentences ranging from three years to suspended sentences.
One of the group, 20-year-old Alfie Chandler from Feltham was jailed for three years after being found guilty of riding a scrambler motor bike at a police officer in Eastbourne.
Detective Sergeant William Man from the Met’s Flying Squad led the investigation and said, “These men thought they were above the law and believed they could get away with their crimes.
“They were extremely organised and determined but our team worked incredibly hard to identify all those involved and gather such compelling evidence against them that they had no choice but to plead guilty.
“I am pleased that justice has been served and that people in London can feel safer knowing that this group is no longer a threat.”
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