Burglars who used Rightmove to plan raids jailed
Burglars Who Leveraged Rightmove to Plan Raids Receive Prison Sentences
A quartet of burglars from the West Midlands, joined by a member from Sheffield, were sentenced after utilizing Rightmove and Google to coordinate multiple break-ins at upscale homes throughout the UK. The group amassed £1 million in stolen items, such as designer watches and handbags, and even formulated weekly goals for the amount of gold they intended to acquire.
Organized Crime Tactics Uncovered
The defendants, Kristian Gropcaj, George Pepa, and Krisjian Dedndreaj, all from the West Midlands, along with Sidorjan Lleshi from Sheffield, confessed to the burglaries at Chester Crown Court. Their sentences ranged from nine years to ten years and nine months. Endrit Nikolli, 27, will face judgment later. Jade Tubb, Nikolli’s partner from Walsall, admitted to conspiracy to possess criminal property and received a 12-month suspended sentence, including 200 hours of community service.
The gang, originating from Albania, targeted 44 properties nationwide. These locations included eight in Cheshire, two in Middlesbrough, nine in Derbyshire, two in Leicestershire, five in Nottinghamshire, seven in Staffordshire, two in Warwickshire, and three in Birmingham, Worcestershire, and Hereford. One burglary was recorded in Shropshire. Court details revealed the suspects used Google to analyze wealthy postal codes before exploring Rightmove for property layouts.
“The gang operated as a high-level organized crime group linked to at least 59 high-value burglaries across the UK,” said Det Sgt Laura Fox of Cheshire Police. “They focused on affluent victims to maximize their thefts, including setting weekly targets for gold.”
Investigators noted the criminals typically accessed homes via the first floor, often employing ladders to bypass alarm systems that only covered ground-level areas. Homes were systematically searched, with bed sheets repurposed as temporary bags for stolen goods. In one instance, CCTV captured them removing an entire safe from a residence.
Cheshire Police identified the gang as members of a coordinated operation, where Nikolli, Gropcaj, Dedndreaj, Pepa, and Lleshi executed the raids, while Tubb managed the proceeds. The case highlights how digital tools like Rightmove were used to plan sophisticated thefts. For further updates, visit BBC’s Cheshire coverage, stream BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer, or follow BBC North West on X. Share story ideas via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2230.
