Duo used blow torches to steal cars from Woolston homes

Regan Harte and Marcus Lawrence have been brought to justice for their ‘well planned and sophisticated enterprise’.

One burglary saw a car stolen only hours after its owner bought it, while another saw a family woken to noise and the smell of burnt plastic.

Harte, aged 23, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, while 29-year-old Lawrence was locked up before the same court on September 8.

Appearing via videolink from HMP Berwyn, Harte faced two counts each of burglary and theft, as well as sole counts of handling stolen goods, possession of cannabis and fraudulent use of a registration mark.

Lawrence meanwhile was charged with three counts of burglary, two of attempted burglary and three of theft.

Kenneth Grant, prosecuting, explained how the burglary spree saw homes targeted in Woolston in July 2020, involving an A-Class Mercedes stolen a month previous and bearing cloned plates.

Lawrence was involved in break-ins in the early hours of July 2 following a ‘scouting mission’ the night before to highlight suitable target vehicles.

At around 2.30am, the Mercedes trigged ANPR cameras in Warrington and was spotted on CCTV on Dam Lane, with Lawrence approaching a home and making off in a BMW 340i M-Sport.

The owner’s belongings had been dumped by the roadside, with the perpetrators gaining access to the house by burning patio door locks using a blow torch.

Burglaries were also attempted on nearby Longbarn Lane and on Bruche Avenue in Padgate around a similar time, with both houses showing burn marks to UPVC doors.

Both Harte and Lawrence were involved in burglaries committed in the early hours of July 19, again using the same Mercedes to driver to the scene, this time with different cloned plates.

At around 1.30am, a BMW 3-Series was stolen from a home on Durham Close – a car which had only been bought hours earlier and has never been recovered.

A BMW M2 Coupe was also taken from a house on Spruce Close, and this was found by police later than month bearing false plates in Chorlton.

Further offences were perpetrated by the pair in Bacup, near Rochdale, where they stole an Audi A3 and an Audi S3.

The latter car became involved in a police chase and stopped following a crash, with both defendants fleeing the vehicle.

Both were quickly detained however by officers and police dogs, with a blow torch found in the boot of the Mercedes and two BMW keys from Warrington burglaries in Lawrence’s possession.

In addition, Harte’s fingerprints were found on two Audis stolen from a property in Sale in the early hours of March 19, 2020.

The pair were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court

One was found abandoned in Hyde and the other in the Reddish. both were valued at £21,000, with one showing substantial damage which cost £7,000 to repair.

On his arrest, Harte was found to be in possession of a quantity of cannabis.

The court heard how both have a lengthy list of previous convictions, including for like offences such as burglary.

In defence of Harte, the court heard from a solicitor advocate, due to the defendant’s barrister being absent due to strike action, that he is ‘very apologetic’, demonstrated by his guilty pleas.

“Custody has been a salutary lesson for him, and he is someone that has grown up and is much more mature,” the solicitor said.

“He wanted to write a letter to the court to apologise, to express his remorse and contrition, and to demonstrate to the complainants that he is truly and genuinely sorry for what he has done.”

Before sentencing, recorder Richard Conley said: “This was clearly a well-planned and sophisticated enterprise.”

To Harte, he commented: “I am dealing with a number of extremely serious offences committed by a young man who has already compiled a very unattractive list of previous convictions for offences of dishonesty, particularly for burglary and the theft of motor vehicles.”

“I have to weigh up if it is the right course to take by having you back in the community by releasing you in a short period time,” he added, due to time already spent in custody.

“On reflection, I take an exceptional course with a suspended sentence of imprisonment,” the recorder concluded.

He said that Harte had received a ‘lucky break’, as if another custodial sentence had been given, this would have ‘no teeth’ or rehabilitative element.

To Lawrence, recorder Conley said: “It seems after many years of committing criminal offences, many of which involved theft or dishonesty, there are very clear signs that you are gaining maturity and understanding you the effect and consequences of your actions. All of that is very encouraging.”

Harte, of Morgan Place in Stockport, was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years.

He must also abide by an electronically monitored curfew overnight for six months and complete 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.

In addition, an order was approved by the court for the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis.

Lawrence meanwhile, of Avondale Road in Stretford, was jailed for 21 months.

Cheshire Police said it was unable to release a custody picture of Lawrence.