A gang who stole almost £1million worth of cars and property have been jailed for a total of 21 years.

The five-member group were involved in 102 burglaries in Essex, Kent, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Enfield and Buckinghamshire between March 18 and September 29, 2014.

Properties in Harlow, Buckhurst Hill and Epping were all found to have been targeted by the gang.

The items stolen, including cars, money, computer equipment, electrical goods and jewellery, totalled to £970,000 of which around £159,000 worth was recovered.

Couple, Luke Wall, 24, and mum-of-three Teresa Connors, 21, both of Leicester Road, Tilbury, breached previous bail conditions in relation to burglary offences and went on the run last June before being tracked down and arrested in September.

Images of the pair staying in a luxury penthouse suite at a hotel in London’s Docklands, showing off money made from stolen property, were found on Wall's mobile phone.

It was discovered the duo had continued to commit burglaries in the time they were on the run.

Appearing in Ipswich Crown Court yesterday (June 18), Wall, who admitted conspiracy to commit burglary and was described as being the leader of the group by judge John Devaux, was jailed for eight years.

Connors, Kyle Shillingford, 27, of no fixed address and Joseph Mahon, 20, of Fanshawe Road, Cambridge, all also admitted conspiracy to commit burglary.

Epping Forest Guardian:

Pictures of Kyle Shillingford holding ill-gotten gains were found on his mobile phone.

Connors was sentenced to eight months in prison, Shillingford for 28 months and Mahon for 40 months.

Robert Butler, 31, of Lilliput Road, Romford, who denied conspiracy to commit burglary but was convicted after a trial, was jailed for seven years.

Inspector Paul Maleary, who at the time of the offences being committed was the senior investigating officer in the case, said: "The investigation team brought about conspiracy evidence for more than 100 burglaries committed by different members of this group.

"I suspect that they probably committed many more.

"Wall in particular showed a blatant disregard for their victims’ feelings as often sentimental items of jewellery were stolen that have not been recovered.

"He drove so dangerously on a number of occasions when police attempted to stop him and placed the police and the public in such danger that any pursuit was immediately cancelled on the grounds of public safety."

Epping Forest Guardian:

Images of the money made from the thefts were found on Shillingford and Wall's mobile phones.

He added: "Dwelling burglary is a priority crime for Essex Police and the imprisonment of these five individuals today can only have a positive effect on the residents of Essex and the Home Counties.”