A gang who stole nearly £1 million worth of cars and property from homes including Royston and the surrounding villages have been jailed.

The thieves were involved in 102 burglaries across East Anglia – including Royston, Melbourn, Thriplow and Shepreth – between March and September last year.

Luke Wall, 24, and his partner Teresa Connors, 21, took a picture of themselves staying in a luxury penthouse suite at a hotel in London’s Docklands, showing off their stolen wares.

The pair – both of Leicester Road in Tilbury, Essex – breached bail conditions in relation to burglary offences and went on the run last June.

After concerted police efforts, they were arrested in September last year but had continued to commit burglaries in the time they were on the run.

Wall, Connors, Kyle Shillingford, 27, of no fixed address, and Joseph Mahon, 20, of Fanshawe Road in Cambridge, all admitted conspiracy to commit burglary.

Robert Butler, 31, of Lilliput Road in Romford, denied conspiracy to commit burglary but was convicted after a trial.

They were all sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court today.

Wall, who judge John Devaux described as being the leader of the group, was jailed for eight years.

Butler was jailed for seven years, Mahon for three years and four months, and Connors for eight months.

Shillingford was jailed for two years and four months.

Insp Paul Maleary, who at the time of the offences was the senior investigating officer in the case, said: “The investigation team brought about conspiracy evidence for more than 100 burglaries committed by different members of this group. I suspect that they probably committed many more.

“Wall in particular showed a blatant disregard for their victims’ feelings as often sentimental items of jewellery were stolen that have not been recovered.

“He drove so dangerously on a number of occasions when police attempted to stop him and placed the police and the public in such danger that any pursuit was immediately cancelled on the grounds of public safety.

“There cannot be a better example of the benefits of forces working together and I congratulate all those officers and staff members that worked so diligently on this investigation.”