A gang of burglars have been jailed for stealing expensive cars and using them in a string of convenience store thefts.

Five men from Bromley and New Addington have been jailed for a total of 29 years after breaking in to homes at night to steal car keys before making off in BMWs, Audis and Mercedes.

The masked burglars then targeted petrol stations and newsagents armed with crowbars, masonry and fire extinguishers, smashed into the shops and stole cash and cigarettes.

Anthony Patton, 31, Ashley Davey, 27, Luke Ballard 20 and Ricky Parratt 24 pleaded guilty at various hearings at Croydon Crown Court to conspiracy to commit residential and non-residential burglaries and conspiracy to commit theft of motor vehicles.

Kenny Davey, 25, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a residential burglary on June 13, last year.

They replaced the stolen car’s registration plates with fake ones to avoid identification during the burglary spree across London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent between March 23 and November 2 last year.

In total the thieves made off with 14 expensive cars worth around £189,000 in total.

They were sentenced yesterday (Thursday, April 27) at Croydon Crown Court.

Anthony Patton of no fixed abode was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, Ashley Davey of Homesdale Road, Bromley was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, Luke Ballard of King Henry's Drive, New Addington was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, Ricky Parratt of Leigh Crescent, New Addington was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment and Kenny Davey of Homesdale Road, Bromley was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.