A gang of burglars who stole more than £430,000-worth of jewellery and designers bags from homes in Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross have been jailed for a total of 18 years. 

Gonzalo Rojas Alarcon, 32, Kevin Gabriel Gonzalez Machado, 20, and 24-year-old Andres Caypos Poblete Gerardo, all entered the UK from Chile and quickly made connections to form a team intent on committing "high value and targeted" burglaries in South Bucks. 

Within days of each other, two homes in Gerrards Cross and Beaconsfield were broken into and items stolen. 

On Tuesday, October 30, the trio smashed through a first floor window of a property in Penn Road, Beaconsfield, and stole watches, designer bags and jewellery totalling over £400,000. 

The following Saturday, November 3, burglars goit into a property on Portland Park in Gerrards Cross through a first floor window and jewellery worth £30,000 was stolen. 

Forensic evidence in both properties linked Alarcon, Machado and Gerardo to the incidents and officers identified a connected vehicle. 

A probe by Thames Valley Police also linked Alarcon to burglaries in Surrey in 2017, where more than £100,000-worth of property was stolen. 

Alarcon admitted a count of conspiracy to commit burglary in Buckinghamshire and was jailed for six and half years and also pleaded guilty to the crimes in Surrey, for which he was sentenced to two years - taking his total sentence up to eight and a half years.

Machado admitted conspiracy to commit burglary and was jailed for six and a half years.

Gerardo admitted conspiracy to commit burglary and was jailed for three years.

All three men were arrested on Monday, November 5, after Metropolitan Police officers apprehended the offenders in Park Lane, London.

All three were charged two days later. 

Fortitude orders were made for all the property used in the offences, which was seized from the men upon arrest, including the vehicle.

Deportation orders were made for Alarcon, Machado and Gerardo once their sentences conclude. 

Investigating officer Sergeant Wendy Fellowes, of the Stronghold Team based at Amersham police station, said: “This was a complex and intensive investigation. Sadly the victims lost a large quantity worth of jewellery, which has not been recovered despite tireless efforts by officers.

“These sentences reflect the robust approach that we take to offences such as this.

“These burglary offences took place in people’s homes, an area where they should feel safe and secure.

“Thames Valley Police takes all reports of burglary seriously and will conduct thorough investigations into each report in an attempt to bring offenders to justice.

“The Stronghold campaign is the name given to all our activity in the pursuit, prevention, protection and preparation against the work of organised crime gangs in our region and we continue to work hard in partnership with other emergency services and local authorities and Border Force to disrupt this organised criminal activity and safeguard those most at risk from them.

“I would like to thank our partners in the Metropolitan Police Service and Surrey Police, as well as the National Crime Agency for their assistance in this investigation. Our work together helped us to identify the offenders.”

Superintendent Amy Clements, Local Area Police Commander for Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire, said: “These arrests were made soon after the second offence as a result of excellent work between Thames Valley Police and our colleagues in the Metropolitan Police.

“It is crucial offenders like this are being brought to justice.

“We will continue working closely with our policing colleagues and other partner agencies to prevent offending and pursue those who target our communities”.