JAILED: Carphone Warehouse raiders caught after Shrewsbury to Manchester police chase
Two men who travelled from Manchester to steal £36,000 worth of mobile phones from a Shrewsbury shop have been jailed.
Christopher Taylor and Jordan Wheeldon smashed their way into Carphone Warehouse in Meole Brace Retail Park, Shrewsbury, after driving from Manchester with two other men.
Armed with sledgehammers and crowbars, the men stole 90 phones and Taylor and Wheeldon were only caught after the Audi they escaped in was chased to Manchester and stopped with a stinger.
The two other thieves are still at large.
Prosecutor Robert Edwards said the four men arrived at the shop at 8.50pm on January 12 with a variety of tools and broke into an office at the back of the premises.
They stole mobile phones from one cabinet and made an unsuccessful attempt to break into another.
They were all wearing black and balaclavas, and made off in a stolen white Audi S4 with fake number plates.
Followed to Manchester
A police helicopter was sent up to locate the car and followed it all the way to the Manchester area where a stinger was used to bring it to a stop.
The men then fled on foot and Wheeldon, 30, of Holden Drive, Swinton, Manchester, was discovered under decking in a garden, while Taylor, 33, of Ranelagh Road, Swinton, Manchester, as found in a restaurant.
The car was searched and tools were found.
In total, 90 phones and 19 sim cards were stolen at a value of £36,039.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Anthony Lowe jailed the pair a for two-and-a-half years each and said: "Whatever reason, and there are always reasons why people resort to this sort of crime.
"Debt or other reasons, but never the less you became party to this well planned burglary."
Brendan Reedy, for Wheeldon, said his client had one previous conviction and had a moment of crisis.
He needed to repair his van, had split from his partner, and had given in to temptation to make some quick money.
Mr Reedy added he wasn't the brains behind the operation, and he had given full and frank admissions to police.
Haseeb Yousef, for Taylor, said his client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
He had got involved due to desperation, and had racked up £12,000 worth of gambling debt that he tried to clear.
Judge Lowe added: "You are both in your 30s and if you are going to change your ways then that change is going to have to come sooner rather than later."
