Local Men Jailed for String of Burglaries Across South Coast
Hussain and Hart took part in theft of jewellery and other items worth £60,000
Sami Hussain, 25, of Edith Road in Hammersmith, pictured above top, and Richard Ashley Hart, 34, of Coningham Road in Shepherd's Bush, above, were found guilty of 27 counts of burglaries at Guildford Crown Court on Friday 11 January 11 along with their accomplice Lewis Kelleher, 30 from Portsmouth.
Between November 2017 and July 2018, a number of properties in Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex and Hertfordshire were targeted, with a total of £60,000 worth of jewellery and other items being stolen, and caused damage amounting to over a total of £28,000,
In July 2018, a series of search warrants were executed in Fulham, Hammersmith and Portsmouth by officers from Surrey Police and Hampshire Constabulary.
Kelleher was not found at his Portsmouth property. However items of clothing matching those worn by one of the offenders seen on CCTV were discovered, along with a large amount of costume jewellery which was believed to have been stolen.
Kelleher was later found at an address in Fulham and was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle. His mobile phone was seized, as were his trainers which matched those worn at one of the offences.
Further warrants resulted in the arrests of Hussain and Hart. While searching Hart’s home, police seized a number of exhibits, including two iPhones, a pair of sand-coloured boots which matched those worn in the CCTV during two motorbike thefts and a camouflage jacket and trousers identical to those worn by the offender at the offence in Farther Common Lane, Hampshire on 19 April 2018. Officers also recovered a black crash helmet matching that which was seen on CCTV during a burglary in Haslemere.
Richard Hart pleaded guilty to 3 offences and was sentenced to 2 years, Sami Hussain pleaded guilty to 11 counts of the 21 burglaries and was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months and Kelleher pleaded guilty to 21 offences and was sentenced to 5 years and 7 months.
Investigating officer, detective constable Arun Sharma of Surrey Police said: "Unfortunately these men caused grief to many victims across the south of England. This was a complex investigation covering multiple police forces and counties. Successful partnerships between several forces were key to bringing these offenders to justice.
"I hope the sentences given to Kelleher, Hart and Hussain give some reassurance to those burgled by them, and that their sentences act as a deterrent to others."
January 15, 2019