Prolific Peterborough burglars jailed after crashing stolen getaway vehicle filled with safe and loot

Charlie Edwards, 28, of Queens Walk, Peterborough, Jody Stones, 33, of Eastern Avenue, Peterborough, and Daniel Willerton, 41, of Chesil Walk, Corby, all pleaded guilty to burglary at Cambridge Crown Court last Thursday (February 1).

On Monday, August 14, 2017, at about 10.30am the trio and an unidentified person forced their way into a house in Oilmills Road, Ramsey Mereside, and stole a safe, valuable coins, a digital camera and a watch.

Following the burglary the group left the scene in a red BMW 1 Series which was stolen during a separate burglary in Yaxley a few days before.

A short while after the burglary, a police officer spotted the stolen BMW and began to pursue it, however it was involved in a head-on collision with a Jaguar F Pace in North Bank Road, Peterborough.

Willerton was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital due to his injuries. The three other men in the car managed to flee the scene but left behind the stolen items.

Stones was arrested at his home address three days later after he was identified from CCTV images. During a search of Stones’ home, items were located that linked him to two further burglaries.

Edwards was arrested in October after his DNA was found in the BMW.

Detective Constable Tom Adams said: “The total disregard to the law and the safety of the public is disturbing and this sentence reflects how seriously we take burglary and driving offences.

“These were prolific offenders, but this result means they won’t be on our streets again for a long time and I hope that provides some sense of reassurance to the public.”

Edwards pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, three counts of handling stolen goods as well as one count of burglary and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Willerton was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment after pleading guilty to burglary.

Stones pleaded guilty to three counts of dwelling burglary and was sentenced to nine years imprisonment.

He pleaded guilty to burglary charges in relation to burglary at a house in Ferndale, Yaxley, during which jewellery, a laptop and a set of car keys were taken which belonged to the red BMW that was used in the Oilmills Road burglary.

He also pleaded guilty to burglary at a house in George Street, Peterborough, and once inside car keys, fishing gear and cosmetics were taken. Subsequently a blue Peugeot 508 was stolen.

Following Stones’ arrest, officers found the stolen laptop and fishing gear in his garden. The handbook to the stolen Peugeot was also found in his bedroom.