Burglars who stole expensive cars and motorbikes across south London and Surrey have been jailed today for a total of 16 years.

Nathan Dale, 30, from Melford Road, Barking, and Jordan McKenzie-Pryce, 31, from Leverson Street, Tooting, were sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment each.

The pair had admitted a string of burglaries in which they stole high-value, high-performance cars and motorbikes.

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit 26 residential burglary and handling stolen motorbikes between August 2015 and August 2016 at Kingston Crown Court (pictured below).

Your Local Guardian:

The London Crime Squad and the Merton Crime Squad set up Operation Chavanel in response to a series of burglaries across Merton, Kingston, Sutton, Wandsworth, and Surrey.

The thieves targeted affluent properties, often breaking into them at night while the homeowners were sleeping, and stole cars including BMWs, Audis, and Porsches.

The cars’ registration plates would be replaced with false ones to avoid identification and recovery.

Detectives saw Dale and McKenzie-Pryce driving stolen cars on false registration plates and identified them as suspects following extensive enquiries.

Officers tracked the pair to Melford Road on August 2. McKenzie-Pryce was arrested, while Dale fled to an adjacent block of flats. He was surrounded for five hours before being arrested when he tried to flee.

Three high-powered stolen motorbikes with false plates were also recovered in Melford Road.

Detective sergeant Damian Hill, from the London Crime Squad, said: "Dale and McKenzie-Pryce were prolific burglars, creeping into homes across south-east London while the occupants were asleep to steal expensive and powerful vehicles.

"They caused a great deal of distress and inconvenience to their victims and I am pleased they have been imprisoned."

Got a story? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk