Prolific Shropshire burglars jailed for 10 years

TWO PROLIFIC Telford burglars who looted a string of homes across the Midlands and North Wales for everything they could find were today jailed for a total of almost 10 years.

The daytime break-ins by Jonathan Lowe and Darren Austin were "mercenary and professional", Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

Lowe, 30, of Overdale, admitted burgling homes in West Felton, near Oswestry, and in Bangor-on-Dee, near Wrexham, on March 17 last year and a third in Upper Quinton, near Stratford-upon-Avon, the following day. He was formally acquitted of dangerous driving.

Father-of-one Austin, also 30, of Woolam Road, Arleston, Wellington, admitted conspiracy to the same three burglaries.

Lowe, a father-of-two, further admitted attempting to burgle a property in Weston, near Shrewsbury, in December 2008.

Six charges of conspiracy to burgle against Lowe and two of conspiracy against Austin, which they denied, were ordered to lie on file.

Judge Peter Barrie told the men: "I have to deal with you for a series of burglaries of houses which it is clear were a mercenary and professional attempt to loot private homes for whatever you could find there."

He jailed Lowe for four years and nine months and Austin for five years.

Mr Mark Linkins, prosecuting, said the pair were arrested on March 19 last year while selling a haul of jewellery in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.

He said they were found to have a bracelet and necklaces taken from the house in West Felton, gold bangles from the address in Bangor-on-Dee and 62 items from the home in Upper Quinton.

Mr Linkins said £10,000 to £15,000 of jewellery was stolen in the burglary in Upper Quinton and £1,100 had been taken in the raid in West Felton.

Mr Linkins added mobile phone records showed both men were at the scene of most of the burglaries.

Mr Simon Rogers, for Lowe, said: "He accepts that he had limited insight into the effect that these offences would have on the victims."

Mr James Cullen, for Austin, said his client had shown some insight into the impact of his crimes on the victims and expressed genuine remorse and regret for his actions.

By Simon Hardy