THREE members of a burglary gang responsible for more than 20 car thefts across Dudley, Stourbridge and Halesowen have been jailed.

Kieran Gordon, 22, of Mill Road, Cradley Heath; Joshua Birch, 22, of Lea Bank Road, Netherton, and Imad Kaid, 21, of Coleman Hill Avenue, Colley, broke into at least 16 homes to steal car keys, with police linking them to the thefts of cars valued up to half a million pounds.

The trio made off with more than 20 cars, often new Audi, Mercedes and Range Rover models, during overnight raids in quiet residential streets and cul-de-sacs between February and September 2018.

Birch, Gordon and Kaid were jailed for five years and four months; five years; and four years and 10 months respectively at Birmingham Crown Court on January 11 after admitting conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.

Properties in Norton, Miking Bank, Netherton, Cradley, Wollaston and Blackheath were burgled for the occupants' car keys during the trio's reign of crime.

Many of the stolen cars were later recovered by police, including a Nissan Juke taken from outside a home in Lynbrook Close, Netherton, in the early hours of 24 April.

The driver and passengers had fled the vehicle but left behind vital evidence- namely a bag containing collectible comics that were stolen during the theft of an Audi in Ribberford Close, Cradley, on April 27, which were covered with Gordon's fingerprints.

Birch was arrested on April 28 and when searched found in possession of an Audi key from the Cradley break-in – and images on his phone appeared to show Gordon asleep in the Nissan Juke.

Gordon and Kaid were arrested on November 21 after police responded to reports of a break-in in Quinton.

The pair were stopped in Kaid’s A3 driving away from the scene – and a Vauxhall Corsa stolen from an address in Stamford Road, Stourbridge, days earlier was recovered nearby.

Investigating officer, West Midlands Police Detective Constable Darren Barnes, said: “We linked a total of 17 break-ins to some or all of these three but we suspect they may have been involved in considerably more.

“Their tactic was to snap locks on rear doors in the middle of the night and to sneak into properties to steal keys. No-one was hurt but the trauma of knowing someone has been in your house while you’re sleeping can’t be underestimated – and some victims woke to find their cars being driven off by the gang.

“These individuals were causing a lot of misery to residents across Sandwell, Dudley and further afield and people can certainly sleep more soundly knowing that they have been put behind bars for a significant period of time.”