'Scared and sickened' – victims of Black Country teen burglary gang speak out
"Knowing there were masked robbers downstairs, whilst our children slept, means we have not felt safe again," was a sentiment repeated by the victims of prolific teenage burglars Rio Halls and Kyron Clifton.
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The Walsall pair, sometimes together, other times with others smashed their way into Black Country homes for three years to steal car keys.
But they stole so much more than keys – they plundered money, jewellery, sunglasses, laptops, phones and even bananas out of a fruit bowl but most of all they stole their victim's peace of mind.
They destroyed their safe space, many were unable to enjoy their home again after an early morning visit by the Walsall gang.
Victims told Wolverhampton Crown Court when Halls, 18, and Clifton, 19, were sentenced to ten years between them last week they were deeply affected by the break-ins.
One said: "Knowing they were in my home while we all slept upstairs was very unsettling, it is very scary. Who knows what could have happened if we had woken up."
Using cover of darkness and driving a stolen car with cloned number plates, usually three or more would target family homes with the same plan, night after night.
Find a nice home, with two or more cars on the drive, pull their hoods up, don their masks, break-in ready for confrontation but banking on slipping in and out unnoticed.
They would use cars stolen during the night to go to other homes which they would burgle until everyone of the gang had their own vehicle.
In Bilston, one family watched their CCTV in the morning in horror as all three of their cars were driven off their driveway in convoy.
