A gang of burglars who used property listings on Rightmove alongside online searches to identify high-value homes across the UK has been jailed.
The group carried out a series of break-ins targeting affluent properties, stealing around £1m worth of items including designer watches, handbags and cash.
Kristian Gropcaj, 31, George Pepa, 31, Krisjian Dedndreaj, 29, all from the West Midlands, and Sidorjan Lleshi, 27, from Sheffield, admitted their roles in the offences at Chester Crown Court. They were sentenced to between nine years and ten years and nine months in prison. A fifth defendant, Endrit Nikolli, 27, is due to be sentenced at a later date.
The court heard the group used Google to identify wealthy areas before turning to Rightmove to examine property listings, including floorplans, to help plan burglaries.
Judge Patrick Thompson said the offenders had shown “no mercy” in targeting victims, leaving lasting emotional impact. He said they had taken away victims’ sense of security in their own homes.
The gang was linked to at least 59 burglaries across multiple regions, including Cheshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. Properties were often entered via upper floors using ladders, allowing the group to avoid some alarm systems.
Once inside, homes were searched for valuables, with stolen goods often carried away using bedding taken from the properties. In one case, CCTV captured the group removing an entire safe.
Police linked the offences through forensic evidence, including DNA recovered from one scene and a distinctive shoeprint found at several locations.
Detective sergeant Laura Fox of Cheshire Police described the group as a “high-level organised crime gang” targeting wealthy victims with the intention of stealing high-value goods.
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