Two brothers from Coventry have been jailed after stealing thousands of pounds worth of tools from vehicles in the city.
David and Patrick McDonagh’s spree of thefts between March and May this year saw them steal tools and cause damage to vehicles worth more than £42,000.
The pair would target vans and other work vehicles parked up in car parks across the city, drilling the locks to gain access. Now, the pair have been jailed after some excellent work by our officers, who carried out hundreds of hours of enquiries to identify them.
David McDonagh, 45, and Patrick, 38 (pictured above) were each jailed for four years and eight months at Warwick Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of a motor vehicle.
Detective Sergeant Jay Aston from the Coventry Neighbourhood Crime Team says: “The majority of victims in this case were self-employed tradespeople, with these thefts having a significant impact on their ability to work and earn a living.
“My team worked tirelessly throughout their investigation to put together a timeline of events and information to help charge the men responsible. Fortunately, we were able to identify some of the victims and reunite them with their stolen property, with a number of items recovered after the pair were arrested.
“Hopefully this sentence sends a clear message that this kind of crime will not be tolerated in Coventry.”
As the nights get darker, West Midlands Police is sharing advice on how to keep your vehicles and property safe from thieves and burglars. Visit Prevent theft from a vehicle | Crime Prevention | West Midlands Police to see more about how you can keep your vehicles secure.
