A gang of dimwit burglars who terrorised a family during a break-in, booked a taxi as their getaway vehicle.
After fleeing empty handed from a bungalow in Luton that they had minutes earlier forced their way into, the four young men had to jog two kilometres to a spot near a pub where they had arranged to meet the taxi.
It took nine minutes to get there through deserted streets at the height of the lockdown, a court heard today and, by the time they jumped into the vehicle, the police were on the scene and stopped the car.
On Thursday, August 13, Michael Anderson, 21, Leroy Cariata, 26, Kenny Caprani, 22, and Nico Harrington-Brown, 19 all appeared at Luton Crown Court pleading guilty to the burglary.
Two of the gang, Cariata and Anderson were each jailed for two years and four months. Their two co-defendants were given suspended prison sentences.
Judge Mark Bishop, sitting at Luton crown court, told the gang their actions on the night of April 30 this year at the height of the lockdown had left their victims terrified.
As a result, he said they now felt a lot less secure in their home.
Prosecutor Gerard Renouf told how, just before midnight on April 30 this year, some of the residents in Thaxted Close, Luton saw the four all wearing face masks on the driveway of the bungalow where a husband and wife lived with their adult son.
The couple were in bed watching TV and the son was in the living room FaceTiming a friend.
Seconds later, the peace was shattered as the four outside suddenly launched an attack on the front door repeatedly running up the driveway and kicking it.
The court was told the father jumped out of bed and positioned himself against the door in an attempt to stop those outside from breaking it open and getting in.
As the lock on the door was broken, he tried desperately to keep it closed against the gang, but he was fighting a losing battle.
The father was assisted by his wife and son, but the gang were able to force their way in and the husband suffered a cut lip caused by one of the intruders.
The son shouted at the gang “Leave my dad alone” and the wife ran into a bedroom in an attempt to call the police.
The door to that room was then kicked open by one of the gang who warned her “No phone. No phone.” Mr Renouf said the four masked men were all shouting “Where is the JD bag?” and the family were left mystified and didn’t know what they were referring to.
Minutes after entering the bungalow, the four ran out of the property empty handed and, one minute before midnight, the wife was able to make a 999 call to the police.
The prosecutor said that having left the property, the four ran through the streets to a pub in the Tea Green area of Luton where they had arranged for a taxi to collect them.
It was a nine minute run from the bungalow in the dead of night at the height of the lockdown to get to the spot where they had arranged to meet the taxi and there they all jumped in.
Mr Renouf said they didn’t get far as police quickly arrived on the scene and all four were arrested.
Judge Mark Bishop, hearing the case, was told that all four declined to answer questions in police interviews.
Mr Renouf said during the break-in the family had no idea what the defendants were referring to when they demanded the JD Sports bag.
The court was told the family had been left shocked by what happened that night. In court today the burglary was described as “botched and ill planned” and “lacked sophistication.”
What the gang had been looking for that night still wasn’t known, said the prosecutor, as they had never answered any questions during police interviews.
Anderson, of Brays Road, Stopsley and Leroy Cariata of Polstead Way, Clacton, Essex, were each jailed for two years and four months. Caprani of Kingland Close, who also admitted possessing a class B drug, was given a 24 month prison sentence which was suspended for 18 months.
He was ordered to attend 19 sessions of a Thinking Skills programme and complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.
He was told he would also have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and he will also be subject to a 12 week home curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am.
Harrington-Brown of Solway Road North, Luton, was also given a suspended 24 months sentence and he too will have to complete a Thinking Skills programme and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement course. He will also have to perform unpaid work and complete an eight week home curfew.
Judge Bishop told the gang: “There can be few more terrifying experiences than to have four hooded men kicking at your front door at midnight and then demanding something they didn’t have.”
He said offences like this leave a lasting impression on the victims.
