Travelling father-and-son burglars ransacked homes across the UK in bid to find and steal "Asian gold"
Travelling burglars ransacked homes across the UK and left families terrified in a bid to find "Asian gold" to steal.
James Loveridge snr and his son James Loveridge jnr were part of a criminal gang who travelled to houses around the country in stolen cars with cloned number plates. The raiders covered surfaces and door handles in cleaning fluid in a bid to destroy forensic evidence and avoid detection after some of the break-ins.
Newcastle Crown Court heard homes in Ashington, Northumberland, and Thornaby, Teesside, were broken into on March 18 2022. Two other men who are believed to have been involved in the raids are wanted on warrants and are on the run.
Prosecutor Neil Pallister told the court: "The defendants admit being members of a group who travelled from the Greater Manchester area to the North East to carry out high value burglaries at domestic addresses in search of what is sometimes known as Asian gold."
Mr Pallister said at the Ashington address the rear patio doors had been smashed and the entire house, including the loft space, had been ransacked and added: "The complainant formed the view the address had been searched for a specific item."
A wallet and £1,000 cash were taken during that raid before the gang headed to Thornaby, where property worth £40,000, including passports, jewellery and cash was taken. The burglars then carried out a £10,000 raid at a house in Lanarkshire, where the Loveridge father and son were caught and sent to jail in Scotland.
After his release Loveridge snr targeted two houses in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in July 2024, where jewellery worth £12,190 was taken during one of the raids. Mr Pallister said cleaning chemicals were used by the gang in a bid to remove "forensic traces" from the ransacked homes.
In impact statement, one mum said she is now "always scared", cannot sleep properly and the family fears they could be targeted again. Another victim said they have installed CCTV, double check that everything is locked and ask neighbours to help keep an eye on their home.
One family has decided to move home as they now no longer feel safe. Loveridge snr, 40, of no fixed address, admitted four charges of burglary. The court heard he has children and grandchildren and got involved in the offences at a time when he was struggling.
Loveridge jnr, 20, of Pringle Street, Rochdale, admitted two charges of burglary. The court heard he had a difficult upbringing. Both have previous convictions. Mr Recorder Richard Herrmann sentenced snr to six years and nine months and junior to two years.