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A gang of teenagers who stole up to 100 cars have been arrested – after pictures of themselves in a BMW stolen from Droitwich were released.
CCTV footage released by West Midlands Police shows officers boxed in and arrested four teenagers following a 40-mile chase that reached speeds of 132mph.
They are one of seven gangs sentenced this week following a spate of car thefts in the West Midlands, West Mercia and Warwickshire between December 2020 and last December.
On November 22, 2021, the group stole a BMW M4 in Droitwich, which was later revealed on social media.
A post on Instagram showed two 16-year-olds hanging from the boot of a car.
Detective Sergeant Wayne Dudley, who led the investigation, said: “It’s shocking that so many children are responsible for burglaries and car thefts.
“Most of the vehicles were stolen by grabbing the door locks and forcing entry. Some car keys were taken while the man was sleeping, but the CCTV footage we released shows that they were ready to attack the victims and commit violence.
“It was a thorough investigation, a detailed investigation involving seven criminals and at least 97. CCTV, mortgage, wiretapping and evidence taken from their mobile phones helped us build a strong case.
“It’s really thanks to the investigative team here that we’ve had successful prosecutions.”
The pursuit took place on November 23, the day after the BMW M4 was stolen in Droitwich.
Jordan Jones, 19, was found at the wheel of a stolen Audi A3 with a 16-year-old, and two other 16-year-olds who had joined them in a VW sedan Golf theft.
Jones, of Shellfield Road in Kings Heath, ditched the Audi in roadworks when the four fled in their car.
A police helicopter was following them, and after the car’s tires were punctured, officers surrounded the car and arrested it.
Inquiries led to the identification of 19-year-old Jamoye Simpson, of Shakespear Cresent in Hockley, and two other 16-year-old boys.
The trio were arrested on October 17 last year after stealing a BMW 3-Series in Coventry.
After checking the gang’s phones, investigators linked the gang to a total of 97 crimes.
All seven were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, while Jones and three other teenagers were charged with reckless driving.
The gang all appeared at Birmingham Crown Court in October and on Wednesday, November 16, Jones and Simpson were sentenced along with three other teenagers.
Simpson was sentenced to nine years and six months, while Jones will spend four years and two months behind bars.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to four years and 11 months, and a 16-year-old boy was sentenced to four years and six months.
Another 16-year-old boy was sentenced to 12 months in prison but was released because he had already served.
Two other 16-year-old boys will be sentenced on December 1.
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