'Home under siege': Gang of five Leeds burglars targeted family to steal Audi and Mercedes in dead of night

A court heard the five men forced their way into the property on Oulton Lane, Woodlesford, on November 8 this year as the couple who lived there were asleep in bed.

They were awoken by the sound of a car alarm before realising their home had been broken into.

Leeds Crown Court heard the burglars took keys to a Mercedes and an Audi parked outside.

The couple looked out of the window to see that the Mercedes had been driven into the wall of the house.

The gang managed to reverse the Audi out of the drive before driving off with it.

Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, said police were quickly able to locate the Audi after it was picked up by Leeds Watch cameras as it was driven through Leeds to the Halton area.

The court heard the Audi was being followed closely by a Ford Fiesta.

The Audi was parked up and abandoned but officers continued to follow the Fiesta and stopped the vehicle.

Gary McClelland, Elliot Lindley, Daniel Foley, Christopher Canavan and Arron Lally were all in the vehicle and arrested.

The court heard other valuables had been stolen in the raid, including a watch and photographs which were of highly sentimental value but thrown away by the gang as they tried to get away from police.

All five men pleaded guilty to burglary and theft.

The court heard McClelland, Lindley and Lally have long criminal records and were “third strike” burglars.

The couple read victim statements to the court in which they described

the stress and upset they had suffered as a result of the break-in.

The husband told the court: “Why should someone who chooses the easy route think it is OK to take what I have?

“It is disgraceful that they have such disregard for my house.

“The whole experience has left me and my family feeling violated.”

Jailing the men, judge Simon Phillips, QC, said: “One can only imagine the immediate sense of fear, anxiety and anger when realising that their home was effectively under siege.”

The jailed men and their sentences in full:

Gary McClelland:

23. of Westbourne Avenue, Beeston.

Jailed for 44 months

Elliot Lindley:

24, of Ramshead Drive, Seacroft.

Jailed for 35 months

Daniel Foley:

23, of Clifton Avenue, Burmantofts. Jailed for 24 months.

Christopher Canavan:

22, of Scargill Grange, Burmantofts. Jailed for 32 months.

Arron Lally:

23, Dawlish Mount, LS9.

Jailed for 32 months