Crooks jailed after plotting raids on 13 homes across West Midlands
Two crooks who masterminded raids on more than a dozen homes across the West Midlands to steal expensive cars have been jailed.
Roy Day and Gerard Lundie admitted plotting burglaries at 13 houses during a two-month reign of terror last year.
Between September and December, homes were also broken into in Birmingham, Shropshire and Warwickshire.
All the homes were raided in the dead of night when the occupants were asleep.
The crime spree began on September 18 when a home in Calshot Road, Great Barr, was broken into. A Citroen C4 and widescreen TV were stolen from the property.
Lundie was first arrested seven days after the stolen C4 was seen speeding off from officers in Erdington.
He was caught hiding in a nearby bush after fleeing the car. He admitted driving the vehicle but said he had no involvement in the burglary and did not know the car was stolen.
Despite coming into contact with police, Lundie, aged 26, along with Day, 29, continued to plot more burglaries.
Three homes were targeted in Birmingham and Warwickshire over the next three weeks.
An abandoned Kia stolen from the driveway of a house in Castle Bromwich was later found abandoned with Lundie's DNA found inside.
Day's DNA was also found on a screwdriver outside another property.
Four homes were then targeted in Great Barr in the space of two days.
Between November 19 and 20, burglaries took place in Blakeland Road, Brackenfield Road,Warren Hill Road and Oscott School Lane.
Three days later, an Audi A5 and Vauxhall Corsa were stolen from a house in Canterbury Way in Cannock. The Corsa was later found abandoned after crashing into a telegraph pole in Streetly, with Day's DNA being found on the driver's airbag.
Lundie was arrested for a second time after he sped off from officers in Kingstanding. He hit speeds of around 100mph through streets in Brownhills, before abandoning the car. He was arrested at a nearby bus stop.
Examination of Lundie's phone while in custody led officers to identify Day as a suspect and enabled them to match his DNA to the crime scenes.
Both admitted one charge each of conspiracy to commit burglary at Birmingham Crown Court.
Day, of Saltley Cottages, Erdington and Lundie, of no fixed address, were both jailed for five years and four months.
Detective Sergeant Dave Bebb, from West Midlands Police, who led the investigation, said: "Local people should be reassured by the lengthy sentences handed to the pair and can sleep a little safer in their beds at night knowing these prolific burglars are now behind bars."
