"Wild and feral" gang jailed for £600k burglary conspiracy spanning 25 counties in England and Wales

A "wild and feral" gang of burglars have today been jailed for a combined 28 years for their part in a £600k conspiracy to break into stores in the dead of night across the country.

The six men forced entry to shops and targeted cash machines in stores from Somerset up to Norfolk, as well as in Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Staffordshire and Wales, as part of their 89 offences.

Each time the group would work in threes to carry out a "rapid smash and grab", forcing entry to the shops and then stealing money, with the majority of offences relating to Co-op stores.

Winchester Crown Court heard the six men would travel from Southampton, using cars which had been stolen, hired or borrowed from associates, and using cloned number plates, while executing the crimes between April 2022 and September 2023.

Prosecutor Mark Ruffell told the court at least £450,000 in cash was stolen, while the cost of damage caused takes it to above £600,000.

It was heard Danny Kernaghan, 39, of Crestwood View, Eastleigh, was one of the ringleaders, involved in 71 offences. This also included a break in at a vape store in Yeovil, Somerset, where £60,000 of products were stolen.

'First lieutenant' Leevan Sharma, 37, of Saltmead, Southampton, was told by the judge he was also an important figure in the gang, playing his part, it was heard, in 31 incidents.

Also in the group sentenced today was:

- Liam Dean Attrill, 26, Spring Close, Southampton, who was linked to 15 offences.
- Harrison Sean Randall, 29, of Mangolia Road, Southampton, who was linked to 13 offences.
- Ravi Mahendra Parmar, 43, of Wilton Road, Southampton, who was linked to five offences.
- Albert Wyraz, 28, of Priory Road, Southampton, who was linked to 12 offences.

Kernaghan, Sharma, Randall and Wyraz all denied conspiracy to commit burglary, but were convicted following a six week trial.

Parmar pleaded guilty to the offence on the fourth day of that trial, while Attrill did the same on day five.

Sentencing them today, judge Christopher Parker KC said: "In a civilised society, you each behaved as part of a wild and feral pack, which had no regard for people's legitimate businesses or other people's livelihoods and their feeling of safety.

"The hallmarks of this case were a targeting of particular stores, with a focused, rapid smash and grab nature."

He sentenced Kernaghan to nine years in prison, while Sharma was handed a six year jail term. Randall was jailed for four years, Attrill three years and four months, Wyraz for three years, and Parmar for two years and six months.

Investigating officer Paul Harrison said: "This has been a very long and complex investigation, but I am pleased to see this has culminated with each of the six men here beginning prison sentences today.

"Not only have they wreaked havoc on Co-op and other businesses across the country, stealing a vast sum of money and causing extensive damage, but they have also caused misery for people who have had their cars stolen or number plates taken.

"Each of them felt they were above the law, but through our relentless investigation, working together with multiple police services and other partners, we have now brought them to justice."