Men jailed after jewellery store ram raid

Two men have been jailed after admitting using a stolen vehicle to ram raid a jewellery shop.

Surrey Police was called after reports a vehicle was "reversing repeatedly" into the front of Brooklands Jewellers on Old Woking Road, West Byfleet, Surrey, on 29 January.

Matthew White, 30, and Benjamin Brazil, 38, were later arrested and charged with burglary and theft of motor vehicle.

At Kingston Crown Court on Monday, White, of Addlestone, was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison while Brazil, of West Drayton, received a custodial sentence of four years and two months.

'Wreaking havoc'

White was also charged with dangerous driving, and Brazil was additionally charged with driving without due care and attention, driving without insurance or a licence, and vehicle interference.

A third man who was also arrested has since been released under investigation, Surrey Police said.

Det Con Kerry Plumb said: "White and Brazil are career criminals who acted with no regard for property that was not their own, stealing whatever they wanted, wreaking havoc along the way, and not stopping to think about the consequences of their actions."

After stealing a number of high value items from the front window display, the men initially left in the stolen car before abandoning the vehicle to flee on foot.

Surrey Police said its dog, Vinnie, and his handler were able to pick up their scent and tracked it through Pinewood Allotments in New Haw to a shed where the men were found.

Another police dog, Oakley, uncovered a pillowcase partly concealed in bushes in the nearby woods.

His handler found it contained the watches and jewellery stolen from Brooklands Jewellers several hours earlier.

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