A gang has been jailed after raiding department stores across the home counties and using stolen sports luxury cars to make their getaways.

Brothers Daniel, George and Chris Ashman and their friend Dean Baldwin stole goods, cash and vouchers worth £125,000 from branches of John Lewis, Homebase and Marks & Spencer during a crime spree between May and November last year.

They also stole high value vehicles including a BMW and a Range Rover Sport worth more than £100,000 to use as getaway cars.

All four men were jailed on Friday, July 12, after admitting conspiracy to commit burglary.

  • Daniel Ashman, 31, of Roe Way in Wallington, was jailed for three years and four months.
  • Dean Baldwin, 28, of Basinghall Gardens, Sutton, was jailed for four years.
  • George Ashman, 21, of Laburnum Road in Mitcham. was jailed for two years and eight months
  • Chris Ashman, 28, of Beckenham Road in Bromley, was jailed for two years and four months.

The group would visit the target stores during opening hours to plan their raids and then come back in the evening clad in dark clothes and wielding bars they used to open tills.

The 10 stores they hit were seven John Lewis shops, including the Croydon and Kingston branches, Homebase stores in Ewell and Croydon and a Marks & Spencer in Wales.

The men were arrested in November last year after the Metropolitan Police's Operation Benderoth identified the linked burglaries.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Hill, of the Met's London Crime Squad said: "This has been a protracted investigation and I would like to thank everyone involved for their tenacity and diligence in bringing these offenders to justice.

"The sentences imposed by the court reflect the seriousness of the familial network involved and should act as deterrent to others.

"The London Crime Squad is committed to working closely with business partners to tackle crimes of this nature."