AN organised crime gang has been jailed for a series of burglaries across High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Slough and London.

The four men, jointly charged with conspiracy to burgle, were sentenced to more than 12 years imprisonment between them during a hearing at Reading Crown Court on December 20.

Police said the gang forced their way into properties during the day or in the early evening and stole items including jewellery and Asian gold before making off in a vehicle displaying false number plates.

Addresses in Sharrow Vale, Rutland Avenue, Plumer Road and Kitchener Road, all in High Wycombe, were among those targeted – as was a property in Stratford Drive in Wooburn Green.

Det Con Christian Parker, who led Operation Chrome, said: “I am pleased with the sentences which illustrates the severity of their criminality.

“The majority of incidents involved the theft of high-value property which undoubtedly caused a great degree of economic and sentimental loss to the victims involved, let alone the emotions they had to endure knowing that their homes had been ransacked.

“These men thought they were above the law in going about committing their organised criminality, such as using vehicles on false number plates and focussing their efforts on unoccupied dwellings.”

Francis McCarthy, 37, of Oxford Road, Gerrards Cross, was sentenced to three years imprisonment after being convicted of two counts of conspiracy to burgle and one of burglary.

A 17-year-old from Hayes, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a 12 month youth rehabilitation order for conspiracy to burgle.

He was also slapped with a 12 month supervision order, told to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and given an electronic tag for three months.

John Maughan, 38, of Balmoral Drive, Hayes, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle. He was given a four year prison sentence.

Martin Maughan, 26, of Oxford Road, Gerrards Cross, was sentenced to five years and seven months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to burgle.