A gang led police on a high-speed car and helicopter chase after a terrifying raid on a Lanarkshire house.
A court was told that Lawrence Connor, James Loveridge, his teenage son, also James, and a 17-year-old boy were part of nationwide network of gangs targeting homes they believed had high grade gold, jewellery and business cash.
They carried out the daylight robbery at a house in Bellshill, stealing gold worth £10,000 and £1,000 in cash.
READ MORE: Glasgow police seize guns and drugs worth £9million in major blow to organised crime
Police were alerted when neighbours spotted a black BMW driving past the house in March last year, then three men running away from the property with a bag, and making off in the motor.
The car was spotted by officers in Hamilton being driven in a "dangerous and reckless” manner, at one point going through a red light and on the wrong side of the road.
A police helicopter then joined the chase and the motor eventually stopped in the town's Burnside Lane and five men fled the scene in different directions.
Connor, 26, Loveridge Snr, 37, Loveridge Jnr, and the 17-year-old, who can't be named for legal reasons were all caught a short time later at different locations.
They were sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court yesterday after pleading guilty to the Bellshill raid in December.
Connor was also convicted of being part of a five-man gang who carried out a separate robbery at a house in Houston last February - he was jailed for three years, Loveridge Snr was jailed for two years, his son was sent to a young offenders' institution for 20 months.
The youngest accused was given a 300-hour community payback order.
Les Brown, Procurator Fiscal for South Strathclyde, welcomed the sentences and warned the fight to detect and disrupt criminal gangs is ongoing.
He said: “These convictions and the sentence should send a strong message to others involved in this kind of criminal behaviour and demonstrates the ability of police and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute serious and organised crime of this nature.
“The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will continue working with the police and other agencies as a member of Scotland’s Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to ensure that these crimes are detected and those responsible prosecuted using all measures at our disposal.”
READ NEXT:
Martin Compston 'wanders Glasgow streets' in the dark after hotel overbooks his room
Glasgow gangster has prison escort and is handcuffed to guard as he gives eulogy at mum's funeral
Lanarkshire hero 'in agony' after being forced to sleep in a chair for six weeks
BBC's Two Doors Down to return for season 7, hints Elaine C Smith
Glaswegians wake up to 'brightest flash and loudest thunder known to man' as lights go out
