Irish gang member jailed for tracking Newcastle takeaway owners to burgle

Terrence O'Reilly admitted conspiracy to burgle

A member of a travelling burglary gang who targeted the owners of Chinese takeaways has been jailed for two years and seven months.

Terrence O'Reilly, 22, travelled from Ireland to burgle homes in Newcastle from at least November, police said.

The gang fitted tracking devices to their targets' cars to lead them to their victims' homes.

O'Reilly admitted conspiracy to burgle at Newcastle Crown Court. Police are trying to trace three other men.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said the force received intelligence the Irish gang was operating in Newcastle.

Having found the homes, the gang would then burgle their victims while they were working in takeaways.

A tracking device was fitted to victims' cars

The court heard police were able to warn victims that they could be targeted by thieves - giving them time to safeguard their valuables.

The thieves did strike at a property in Gosforth on 9 November but the police tip-off meant they were unable to steal anything of value.

O'Reilly, from Dublin, was arrested in Scotland in January and officers are looking for William O'Reilly, 31, Michael McInerney, 26, and Jonathan Sluesy, 21.

Det Con Glenn Page said: "This was a sophisticated and planned operation by a gang of thieves who entered our region with the sole intention of committing crime.

"They have visited multiple shops to buy the tools needed to carry out the raids and used second-hand clothing in a bid to avoid being detected through forensics.

"Once we intercepted their tracking devices, and began to learn more about how they operated, we were able to prevent them from stealing anything of real significance."