A clumsy criminal from Bradford has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after his own social media videos became the key to unlocking a major police investigation into a series of high-value burglaries.
Social Media Blunders Seal Fate
Hamza Ghafoor, 22, inadvertently provided detectives with a treasure trove of evidence by filming himself preparing for break-ins, driving stolen luxury cars, and flaunting large amounts of cash. Chorley Police stated these clips were pivotal in securing convictions against him and his accomplices.
The organised gang, all from West Yorkshire, travelled to Lancashire to carry out a spree of burglaries targeting expensive vehicles between September and November 2023. The stolen cars were often driven in convoy at high speed, leading to several crashes.
A Trail of Stolen Cars and DNA
The crime wave spanned several areas of East Lancashire, including Pendle, Blackburn, and Chorley. In one incident on September 11, 2023, a £35,000 Volkswagen Tiguan was stolen from a home in Colne, pursued, and then abandoned after its £2,500 sound system was removed.
Another theft on October 30, 2023, saw a £79,000 BMW X3 taken from a property in Langho. The owner only discovered it was missing when police informed him it had been crashed in Bradford. Forensic evidence, including DNA from Kamran Ahmed, 23, on the driver's airbag, helped tie the gang to the scene.
Investigators painstakingly pieced together the case using CCTV, fingerprints, and other clues like a cracked iPhone left in a stolen vehicle. When officers arrested Ghafoor, they found damning pictures of a stolen Mercedes on his phone. A search of his bedroom also uncovered a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with hundreds of wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.
Lengthy Sentences for Organised Crime
In total, the six-strong gang was jailed for a combined 15 years. Ghafoor received the longest sentence of six years after being sentenced on January 5th. His accomplices were sentenced last year.
- Mohammed Zubhir, 24, of Bradford: three years and nine months.
- Jordan May, 23, of no fixed address: three years and four months.
- Denzel Maduma, 20, of Pontefract: three years and four months.
- Kamran Ahmed, 23, of Halifax: two years.
- Dylan Shuttleworth, 18, of Oswaldtwistle: a 12-month youth referral order.
A spokesperson for Chorley Police wryly noted that Ghafoor was "not the brightest burglar of the bunch" for recording his crimes. Detective Constable Tom Archer added that most offenders were already serving time for similar offences, making it satisfying to see their sentences extended.
