A gang of professional burglars from Poland flew into the UK to target posh country homes and then flew home afterwards have been jailed on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 and told when they finish their sentences they will be deported.
The gang used walkie-talkies so that they wouldn’t have to use mobile phones and leave tell-tale digital footprints for the police to find.
They also had high powered telescopes for keeping secluded rural properties under observation.
The gang targeted large million pound houses in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire where they knew it was likely they would find rich pickings.
They cut power supplies so CCTV Systems and burglar alarms were rendered useless.
In the raids they stole large amounts of cash, jewellery, Rolex watches, clocks and designer goods worth thousands of pounds.
Much of the property including cherished and sentimental items has never been recovered
Expensive cars parked outside some of the properties were taken
After flying into London Luton Airport shortly before Christmas 2019 they they broke into two properties.
Three of the gang then flew home for Christmas, before coming back to the UK days later in January 2020 where they broke into three more rural properties, including a large country house with 10 bedrooms and set in 22 acres.
But Luton crown court was told it was a slip up by the gang at this burglary that led to their downfall.
One of the items they made off with from the Victorian built house was an iPad.
Guessing that the device might contain a tracker app, they carefully wrapped it tin foil, thinking it would mask any signal.
But the owner was able locate the ipad’s whereabouts through the app, and told the police who then arrested the gang.
Przemyzlaw Zblewski, 37, Kyzysztof Osowski, 36, and Slawomir Winiecki, 49, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary in a dwelling with others unknown.
Michal Barlowski, 44, the only one of the gang who lived in the UK, admitted handling stolen goods in the shape of watches and jewellery from one of the burglaries. Jewellery and assorted watches had been found later by the police on his bedside table which came from a break in.
Passing sentence this afternoon Judge Richard Foster told Zblewski, Osowski and Winiecki: “It has been said an Englishman’s home is his castle and the court’s are here to protect those homes from people like you.”
He praised the police for the way they had investigated the break ins and said a “nasty gang of burglars had been brought to justice” as a result of the police work
The jury heard that the five burglaries the gang carried out were committed either side of Christmas 2019, with a halt for the festive period when three of the men went home to Poland.
Prosecutor Oliver Doherty said: “This is a case about a well organised agreement to burgle homes of well off residents all living at substantial addresses around Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
He described the gang as “professional and well organised and forensically aware” who wore balaclavas and gloves and were always careful to wipe down surfaces they touched with cleaning fluids.
Barlowski lived in a rented a house in Bolingbroke Road, Luton and was said by the prosecution to have had the “local knowledge” of the area where the burglaries were to be carried out.
Mr Doherty said a month before Christmas 2019, on November 29, Zblewski and Osowski flew into London Luton Airport from Gdańsk in Poland.
It was a short visit and the pair flew back on December 2.
“It seems likely this was some sort reconnaissance” said Mr Doherty.
Days later on December 11 the pair flew back into Luton accompanied by Winiecki.
“In the days that followed two targeted and highly professional burglaries occured at expensive properties likely to be repleat with valuables to steal.”
The first break in on December 14 was at a “large detatched home” in the village of Lilley on the Herts Beds border.
The second was at a “large five bedroom detached house” in the village of Preston in Hertfordshire.
Taken in the two raids, said Mr Doherty, was a carriage clock, jewellery and Raymond Weil and Avis watches.
Mr Doherty then told the court: “These burglaries having taken place, on December 23 Zblewski, Winiecki and Osowski flew back again to Poland; one assumes they spent the festive period at their home before coming back to the UK in the January.
The prosecutor said by January 8 the three were back in Luton and the scene was set for three further burglaries all committed between January 11 and the early hours of January 13.
The first of the three was at a 10 bedroomed detached country house with outbuildings set in 22 acres near the village of Shillington in Bedfordshire.
With their tool kit which comprised of heavy duty screw drivers, a crow bar and a long metal pole, they were able to gain entry to the house and made off with a safe containing £20,000, a Land Rover Evoke parked outside which was later abandoned, a silver jewellery box, wedding rings and a diamond engagement ring worth £14,000, three Rolex watches worth around £60,000, a pair of Louis Vuitton sunglasses and the iPad that was to lead to their capture.
Hours later they broke into a large country home in Little Gaddesden near Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire on the Ashridge Estate and which the jury was told was worth £3 million.
Here they stole an property including an Omega men’s wristwatch and a necklace.
In the same village they broke into another substantial property where they stole a safe, a carriage clock, an Omega watch, jewellery, a pair of Lotus cuff links and the family’s Jaguar car which was also dumped shortly afterwards.
Mr Doherty told the court that by now the owner of the iPad taken in the Shillington burglary was himself on the trail of the gang having activated the app “Find My iPad.”
The the gang had taken steps to guard against the iPad being tracked by wrapping the device in tinfoil, but it wasn’t enough.
As a result, the jury was told, the owner could see that it was located at an address in Farrow Close in Luton.
The information was passed to the police and enquiries revealed that Barlowski had been concerned in renting out a house for a short term let.
It was said the prosecutor a ‘local base’ from which they could operate their criminal enterprise.
Police knew there were people inside the house on the morning of January 13 but no one was answering the door.
In fact, inside the property were Zblewski, Winiecki and Osowski and later that day they left the property in a Vauxhall Zafira.
At the same time the owner of the iPad could see it was also on the move and it ended up at the home of Barlowski.
The police then saw the three, in a Mercedes car with Barlowski and all four were detained and searched.
The Zafira, which was parked nearby, was also searched, and contained a burglary kit said the prosecutor which comprised of gloves and balaclavas, screw drivers, a crow bar, a long metal pole described as a ‘wrecking pole’, two telescopes and short wave radios or walkie-talkies with ear pieces.
Also in the Zafira were two safes that had been taken from two of the houses.
Much of the stolen property taken in the January break ins was also found in the vehicle, including jewellery.
Stolen property was recovered from the Mercedes, including designer goods that had been taken.
Back at Farrow close in Luton where Zblewski, Winiecki and Qosowski had been staying a carriage clock taken in one of the burglaries was found on the mantle piece.
Stolen goods were also recovered from the Bolingbroke Road home of Barlowski.
Before sentence was passed Judge Foster was told that Zblewski had convictions for burglary back in Poland dating back to 2002, 2006 2010.
Osowski had convictions for theft back in Poland which went back to 2002 and 2003 a well as theft and burglary in 2008 and 2016.
Barlowski who had been living in the UK since 2012 had been convicted in Poland of benefit fraud.
The court was told all four regretted their involvement in the crimes and in the case of the three conspirators now wanted to return to Poland.
Zblewski and Osowski were each jailed for four years Winiecki was jailed for three years and nine months.
He told all three when they have completed their sentences they will be automatically deported
Barlowski was jailed for six months which means because of time served on remand he will be released immediately.
