A gang of burglars travelled to Yorkshire and raided a family home, stealing sentimental heirlooms.
Dylan Hyams, Kevan Walsh and Jack Whitehead drove a stolen van to Skipton and smashed their way into their victim’s home.
All three were locked up after a judge heard they had each caused misery through burglaries in the past.
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The men drove a stolen van on false registration plates from Liverpool to the North Yorkshire town in November.
Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court they smashed glass patio doors to get into a home and then ransacked the kitchen and bedrooms.
Among the items they stole was jewellery, with Mr Pickavance explaining it was “of great sentimental value” because it belonged to a relative who had died during the pandemic.
A white van was stolen from outside along with work tools belonging to the victim.
The value of the items taken - including the van, tools and jewellery - was placed at more than £20,000.
Mr Pickavance said: “CCTV was recovered from the scene and three men were seen wearing dark clothing, with hoods up, to run to the side of the address.
“Shortly afterwards a male identified as one of the defendants was seen to walk from the side of the property to the white van.”
Police found the stolen van, bearing false plates, parked on Winchester Avenue, close to the then Waterloo home of Walsh.
Outside his home they found the van used to take the men to Skipton. CCTV was obtained that showed Walsh driving that van on the day of the raid, picking up Hyams on College Road in Crosby and then Whitehead joining them at a petrol station on Southport Road in Bootle.
The vehicle was captured travelling through Kirkby Lonsdale, Giggleswick and then Skipton.
Mobile phone evidence also placed the defendants in Skipton that day.
On the following day, Whitehead and Hyams were cell-sited in Skipton and Mr Pickavance said the evidence suggested the men had left the stolen van in Skipton, travelled home, then returned to collect it the following day.
All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle.
Damian Nolan, defending Hyams, said: “The most powerful mitigation is that in this case the defendant indicated a guilty plea in the magistrates’ court.”
He said his client found himself in a “perilous financial situation”, leading him to “foolishly” take part in the plot.
Sarah Ellis, defending Whitehead, said the 28-year-old was also struggling financially at the time of the incident.
She said: “He wasn’t thinking clearly and he did what he now accepts was a very silly and stupid thing and gave way to temptation when he was offered the opportunity to make a bit of money.”
Ms Ellis said her client, scarred after being slashed in an attack in his own home, regretted his actions and wished to apologise to the court and his victims.
Charles Lander, defending Walsh, 32, said his client had began to live a “law-abiding lifestyle” after he became a dad.
Mr Lander said: “It seemed to be going well until the later part of last year when, through no fault of this defendant, he lost his job.”
Like with his co-accused, money issues were behind his involvement, the court was told.
Judge Anil Murray said the burglary must have required “serious planning” and left the victims upset through the theft of sentimental items.
Hyams, 29 and of Leadenhall Close in Everton, and Walsh, of Simonswood Road in Kirkby, were each sentenced to four years in jail.
Whitehead, of Barncroft Road in Halewood, was jailed for four years and six months. He received a longer sentence because he admitted his guilt at a later stage.
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