Gang cloned cards to celebrate crimes

A gang of burglars used cloned credit cards to run up huge hotel bills "celebrating their dishonesty", a court heard.

The gang raided homes in Staffordshire and the West Midlands and then went on junkets to local hotels.

Their break-ins were at homes in Essington, Codsall, Cannock, Walsall, and Cheslyn Hay and a pub in Penkridge.

Their celebrations - all fraudulently paid for with cloned credit cards - were held at the Roman Way Hotel and Ramada in Cannock and the Himley Hall Hotel near Dudley.

Stafford Crown Court heard yesterday that one member of the gang has been prosecuted. Andrew Langham was arrested near a pensioner's home in Ascot Drice, Cannock, which had been raided, said Mr Nick Burn, prosecuting.

While he was being questioned, officers examined his mobile phone.

"On the phone was found a whole range of credit card numbers. By use of these credit card numbers, various telephone bookings would be made at hotels and car hire outlets," said Mr Burn.

The defendant said he was either a lookout or a getaway driver or otherwise assisted in the burglaries.

Langham, aged 26, of Bracon Road, Short Heath, Willenhall, admitted one charge of burglary and asked for nine others to be taken into consideration. He also admitted three charges of fraud with a further nine taken into consideration. He was given a two-year community order with 240 hours unpaid community work.

The gang's targets included The George & Fox in Penkridge where £800 was taken and a house in Wolverhampton Road, Cannock, where £20,000 worth of property was taken.

Mr Philip Bradley, defending, said Langham had already served the equivalent of an 11-month sentence on remand in custody.