Dramatic arrests as police pounce on £1 million burglary gang

Sunday World

14-07-2025

Jerry O'Donnell, Barney Maloney and Quey Adger were forced to stop their car by armed officers while Patrick Ward was arrested at his home
Members of a burglary gang which stole £1 million were caught red-handed with stolen jewellery after a year-long police operation
Jerry O'Donnell, Barney Maloney and Quey Adger were forced to stop their car by armed officers while Patrick Ward was arrested at his home.
Dramatic footage of the arrests was released by the London Metropolitan Police in which an officer is seen pointing a taser at one of the men.
The driver of the car attempted to get away colliding with a parked car after a police vehicle blocked him in.
The four gang members who had targeted London's South Asian community, were jailed last week for a total of 17 years and one month after pleading guilty to burglary.
CCTV enquiries identified their car as being involved in multiple burglaries, according to a police statement.
'Specialist officers acted quickly and pursued the vehicle while on the move, leading to a forced stop.'
'The trio were arrested after officers found hundreds of items inside, including a gold wedding ring, gold necklaces and a solid gold hair pin.'
Ward was arrested separately at his home address shortly after.
He had been identified him as a member of the organised crime gang with close links to the three other men.
Detective Sergeant Lee Davison, who led the investigation, said: 'This comprehensive operation enabled us to disrupt a key part of an organised crime network.'
'As a result of the work conducted by specialist officers, a handful of serial criminals will now spend a substantial amount of time behind bars.
'While the monetary value of this crime is staggering, its sentimental worth is priceless. I hope these men spend a lot of time reflecting on the impact their actions have had on the community.'
O'Donnell (33) was jailed for five years and three months, Maloney (19) got five years and three months, Adger (23) five years and seven months and Ward (43) two years and five months at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 11 July
Officers also carried out a search at a jewellery shop in Hatton Garden where they believed stolen gold was being melted down and sold.
There they recovered st£50,000 in cash and eight kilos of jewellery.
The jewellery included a World War One officer's Rolex, a gold locket containing old pictures, an engraved gold ring, and a gold pocket watch from Harlow Bros Ltd.
While the most identifiable items were reunited with their rightful owners following a media appeal in March, detectives are still looking to identify the owners of the remaining jewellery and urge anyone who may have been a victim to contact police.
The items were stolen between December 2023 and July 2024 from properties across south London, including Croydon, Sutton and Wandsworth - as well as counties including Surrey, Sussex and Essex.
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