FOUR men, who were chased down the M5 by police after burgling a home in Worle, have been jailed.

Weston Mercury: Dean Murphy.Dean Murphy. (Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary)

The group raided a house in Cornwallis Avenue in broad daylight while being watched by police on February 19, and stole jewellery and cash, which they went on to stash in a local cemetery.

Weston Mercury: Patrick Maguire.Patrick Maguire. (Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary)

Police, including officers in the force helicopter, followed 32-year-old Patrick Maguire, David O’Driscoll, aged 25, Dean Murphy, aged 22, and 18-year-old Richard Mansfield from Weston to the Clevedon junction of the M5, where a stinger device was used to stop their car.

Weston Mercury: David O'Driscoll.David O'Driscoll. (Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary)

Mansfield and O’Driscoll threw items of clothing, including their shoes, onto the carriageway in a bid to prevent them being linked to the crimes.

Maguire, of Axminster in Devon, and Murphy, O’Driscoll and Mansfield, of Knightstone Causeway in Weston, later pleaded guilty to burglary and were remanded in custody until they were sentenced on Friday.

Maguire was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100.

O’Driscoll and Murphy were each jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay the same amount.

Mansfield was given nine months in a young offenders institution and an additional six months for two burglaries in Bedminster and Barnstaple, which he asked to be taken into consideration. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100.

All of the stolen items, except one pair of earrings, were returned to the owner.

Investigating officer DC Dale Buckingham from Weston’s Priority Crime Team, said: “Everything about the way these men operated marked them out as a professional gang.

“They thought they could get away with carrying out a burglary in broad daylight, stash what they’d stolen, and cash in on it later. Unfortunately for them, we were watching their every move.

“It is very satisfying for us to see them locked up and to know the victim got their jewellery back.”