FOUR criminals who travelled from Swansea on two consecutive nights to burgle homes in Penygroes and Milo have been jailed.

Ricky David Jenkins, aged 34, of Rhodfa Brain, Fforestfach, Keith Martin Goodenough, aged 58, of Heol Emrys, Penlan, Dean Michael Clement, aged 44, of no fixed abode, and Simon Lee Griffiths, aged 46, of Penderry Road, Penlan, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and one of attempted burglary on Monday and Tuesday, 3 and 4 January.

They were promptly arrested, charged and have subsequently been on remand.

Today Swansea Crown Court heard that in the early hours of  January 4, a resident of Gate Road, Penygroes, contacted Dyfed-Powys Police to report that his house had been broken into and property stolen, including an iPad, a Samsung phone, a Huawei phone, two bank cards and a silver bracelet.
Whilst officers were at the address, colleagues rang through to say that three males had been seen running from the area.

Officers located a vehicle, where Jenkins and Goodenough were found and subsequently arrested.  Clement was also located and arrested during a search of the area.

In the early hours of the previous morning, January 3,  another burglary had been reported to police, this time in the nearby Milo area.  Bank cards were stolen and transactions subsequently made at local garages totalling over £260.

During their house-to-house enquiries, officers discovered via a resident's Ring doorbell camera, that the men had also attempted to get into a third property.

Investigating officers soon linked them, and with the support of ANPR cameras, Ring doorbell cameras and good investigative work, they identified a fourth man, Griffiths, who was arrested on Thursday, January 6.

All four pleaded not guilty at their first hearings at Llanelli Magistrates Court on January6 and 7 however at their first crown court appearance a month later, changed their pleas to guilty.

DS Rebecca Thomas said: “These men travelled into our force area to break into people’s homes and steal their hard-earned goods for personal gain.

“They initially denied being involved but when faced with the evidence our investigators had pulled together, with help from people with Ring doorbell cameras, they changed their pleas to guilty.

“We hope this sentence brings some solace to the victims following what must have been a distressing incident for them.”

Clement was sentenced to 50 months imprisonment, Goodenough was sentenced to 32 months, Jenkins received 54 months imprisonment and Griffiths was sentenced to 45 months.