Declan Donnelly: Men admit plot to steal presenter's car

Declan Donnelly's black Range Rover was one of those targeted by the men

Four men have admitted a plot to steal a number of luxury cars, including one that belonged to TV presenter Declan Donnelly.

The group were accused of targeting about £750,000 worth of high-value vehicles between January and July.

Ellis Glynne, 29, Connor Murray, 21, Perry Ogle, 23, and Vinothkumar Ratnam, 37, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal the cars.

Four other men appeared at Kingston Crown Court charged over the plot.

Mr Donnelly's black Range Rover was one of those targeted by the thieves.

The court previously heard police had been called to the presenter's west London home in the early hours of 6 April but the alleged thieves fled empty-handed before officers arrived.

The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here presenter, his wife, and their daughter were reportedly asleep at the time of the attempted break-in and were unaware until they were later told by police.

Declan Donnelly and his wife Ali Astall were unaware their car had been targeted, the court heard

In total, 12 men have been charged with various offences relating to several alleged planned burglaries.

Glynne and Ratnam, both from Surrey, and Murray and Ogle, both from Hounslow, west London, all admitted conspiracy to steal the vehicles.

Alfie Chandler, 18, from Hounslow, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to steal the vehicles, while Tommy Hutchinson, 18, from Feltham, who is also charged with conspiracy to steal the vehicles, did not enter a plea.

Ryan Crafts, from Wokingham, Berkshire, and Charlie Kavanagh, from Ashford, Surrey, previously entered not guilty pleas at a hearing in August.

Glynne, Murray and a third man, Robert Green, 41, from Addlestone, Surrey, face a separate count of conspiracy to burgle over an attempted theft from an ATM at a convenience store in Brentford between 25 January and 7 February last year.

All three of them deny the charges.

• TV's Declan Donnelly 'targeted by car thief ring'

Glynne, Murray and Ogle also pleaded guilty to a second count of conspiracy to burgle, over an alleged plot to steal 11 electric bikes from Velospeed, in Thatcham, Berkshire, between 14 June and 17 June this year.

Alfie Chandler and another man, Jack Foley, 24, from Surrey, have denied being part of that plot.

Tyler Smallworth, 20, from Hounslow, was further charged with theft of a van but previously denied the charge.

Edward Atkins, 34, also from Feltham, is due to be arraigned at a later date.

Judge Sarah Plaschkes QC previously set a trial date of 4 January next year.

Glynne and Murray have been in custody while the other defendants were released on bail ahead of a further hearing on 15 October.