A burglar who boasted on Facebook about his group’s criminal activities was one of a trio locked up for three years.
Adam Dutton even joked about how fast he was when he managed to run from police on an occasion when two of his accomplices were caught, Kitty Taylor prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court.
He provided the police with further incriminating evidence having taken photos on his phone of some of the stolen items, she said.
Officers from North West Leeds Division’s Proactive Crime Team targeted the group after a series of burglaries in their home area around Bramley, Leeds.
During a three week period in March nine different properties were entered including the home of a Methodist minister in Bramley while he was giving a service and a vicarage in Armley.
Dutton, 18 of Langley Road, Bramley, was sent to a young offender institution for three years, Aaron Ward, 18 of Outgang Lane, Bramley and Declan Blagborough, 17, formerly of Guiseley but currently serving an 18-month detention and training sentence were both given three years detention after admitting conspiracy to burgle houses.
A fourth youth, age 16, who cannot be identified, was given a youth rehabilitation order for 18 months with intensive supervision and a three months curfew from 7pm to 7am.
Dutton had 22 offences taken into consideration involving more than £35,000 of property, Ward had 35 offences taken into consideration involving £30,000 worth of property and Blagborough seven offences.
After the case, Sergeant Lee Fletcher said: “They demonstrated their arrogance and disregard for their victims when they openly bragged about their involvement in crime on the internet.”