County's crime rate at 20 year low after family jailed

A county's crime rate has fallen to a 20-year low after a crimimal family was jailed, a chief constable has reported.

 

By Richard Savill
Published: 6:46PM BST 24 Jun 2009

Ricky Johnson who was jailed along with other members of his family Photo: INS

Telegraph UK --Five members of the Johnson gipsy family were each jailed for up to 11 years for a string of raids on stately homes, including Britain's biggest domestic burglary, which netted them up to 80 million pounds.

Another 10 members of the gang received sentences for raids on business premises in Thames Valley, the Midlands and Gloucestershire.

Since their arrest, Gloucestershire Police said the county's crime rates have fallen to a level last seen in the 1980s.

Figures show there were 44,136 recorded crimes in Gloucestershire in 2008/09 compared to 45,685 in 2007/08, representing a three per cent drop.

This followed a significant drop of about 16 per cent from the 2006/07 figures, when 52,388 crimes were recorded.

The Gloucestershire chief constable, Timothy Brain, said the jailing of the Johnsons had disrupted a major crime network in the county.

Of the Johnsons, he added: "What that operation showed is that no-one is untouchable."

The gang, who were sentenced last year, broke into stately homes wearing balaclavas, scoured rooms, and escaped in stolen cars while leaving little or no trace.

Their attacks included Ramsbury Manor, the 17th Century Wiltshire home of Harry Hyams, a reclusive property tycoon and art collector. Burglars seized items worth about pounds 30 million in February 2006, in Britain;s biggest private house burglary.

Other victims included the Formula One motor racing advertising tycoon Paddy McNally and the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire Sir Philip Wroughton.

Detectives believe the Johnson family plagued the south of England for 20 years. The family was based at a static caravan park in Evesham, Worcs, where they plotted the raids.