Twin brothers were among those jailed for a total of six years for dozens of burglaries committed ‘daily’ across the capital.

Ashley Thomas, 29, of Hasty Close, Mitcham, was jailed for one year, while his twin Leon, of the same address, will stay behind bars for a year and four months after admitting burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.

Brothers Billie, 22, and Tommy Backshall, 20, of Lessness Road, Morden, were both sentenced to a year and four months behind bars for their part in up to 16 offences across London.

A fifth man, Reiss Brown, 29, of Hertford Way, Mitcham, was sentenced to one year and three months imprisonment.

All five were subject to a police investigation after a large number of distraction burglaries were committed all over London in the summer of 2013 and early in 2014.

A police spokesman said the group stole property including cash and phone cards from small business premises using distraction techniques.

A large number of these offences were caught on CCTV.

The spokesman said due to the Thomas brothers being twins, identification proved difficult, however the strength of the operation and the determination to place each man at the scene of individual crimes showed the evidence was overwhelming and therefore resulted in guilty pleas.

The officer in charge of the investigation, detective constable Rebecca Michaelis, said: "These men committed, planned and organised these offences on virtually a daily basis.

"They were committing offences London-wide. "The offence of burglary has a painful and long lasting effect on its victims."

The men, who admitted burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary, were sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, May 9.


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