Three car thieves who filmed themselves breaking into homes and performing doughnuts in stolen vehicles have been jailed after their own footage helped dismantle a £2 million crime spree. Callum James, 24, Jack Bardini, 18, and Deche Luton-Howe, 25, posted some of the incriminating footage on social media, where they were easily identified by police.
Social Media Blunders Lead to Arrests
The bungling crooks recorded themselves doing doughnuts in a stolen BMW and also changing the number plate on another vehicle before swapping it with fake plates. Detectives found that after stealing the cars, they would then apply fraudulent number plates to the stolen vehicles in order to avoid detection. The group would then pose for photos with the stolen vehicles and also filmed footage while driving erratically in the stolen cars.
Organised Crime Spree Across Birmingham
The three men were responsible for dozens of car-key burglaries across Birmingham between August 2024 and April last year, during which £2 million worth of vehicles were stolen. James and Bardini would target properties and gain entry by lock snapping, stealing car keys and taking the vehicles which had been specifically targeted for their high value. James would also wear the same distinctive jackets when carrying out the break-ins.
Court Sentencing and Guilty Pleas
The trio were all sentenced yesterday at Birmingham Crown Court for a total of over 100 offences linked to car-key burglaries. James pleaded guilty to 75 offences of conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle, and conspiracy to conceal criminal property before being jailed for nine years. Bardini pleaded guilty to 31 offences of conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle, and conspiracy to conceal criminal property and was caged for six years and nine months. Luton-Howe pleaded guilty to possession and control of articles for use in fraud, and making and supplying articles for fraud in relation to making number plates that were applied to stolen vehicles. He was jailed for two years and three months.
Police Investigation and Evidence Gathering
PC Adam McWalter, from West Midlands Police's Serious and Organised Crime team, said: 'The trio were meticulous in their individual roles in the crime spree. They carried out dozens of offences over an eight-month period, and so the investigation was lengthy. Piecing together every piece of evidence and footage was vital to the investigation and secured the charges and eventual guilty pleas. Thankfully, these three prolific offenders will now be spending a long time behind bars.'
