Garage burglars led police on stolen car pursuits

Two burglars who led police on highspeed pursuits in stolen vehicles and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage when they raided car garages have been jailed for about three years.

Louis Gary Johnson, 34, and Michael Anthony Pemberton, 41, targeted multiple dealerships around north-east England before being caught stealing a car and van from a workshop in Durham, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Their driving caused "grave danger to other people", Judge Julie Clemitson said.

The pair from Sunderland admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and burglary, as well as stealing hundreds of pounds worth of goods from various shops.

Police officers found the pair, both of whom had multiple previous convictions for burglary, breaking into Bristol Street Motors in Carrville at about 01:00 GMT on 25 February, prosecutor Neil Jones said.

The men had smashed their way into the office and stolen keys for numerous vehicles which were there to be worked on by mechanics, with Johnson then driving away in a Ford Kuga and Pemberton in a Ford Transit van, the court heard.

Johnson, of Roker Avenue, used his car to ram through a barrier and, pursued by police, headed on to the A690, the court was told.

He pulled into the car park at Ramside Hall Hotel to close the bonnet, which had flown up in the barricade crash, then rammed a police car to get back out on to the road.

Johnson then drove the wrong way up a dual carriageway before crashing into trees, ran on to the A19 where he narrowly missed being hit by a car and was found hiding in bushes by a police drone, Mr Jones said.

Pemberton, of Edward Burdis Street, drove the van directly at an officer, who had to jump out of the way, before ramming through a barrier and out on to the A690 towards Sunderland, the court heard.

Officers could see smoke coming from the van and a tyre appeared to be shredded during the 15 minute, nine mile-long (14km) pursuit, before police blocked it in and arrested Pemberton, the court heard.

Several officers suffered minor injuries when their vehicles were struck by the stolen vehicles, Mr Jones said.

They both replied no comment in their interviews before asking for several other garage burglaries, committed between 15 and 17, February to be taken into account.

They included:

• The theft of and subsequent extensive damage to two cars worth a total of £80,000 from Lookers Nissan in Gateshead
• £2,000 worth of damage to a BMW dealership in Boldon
• Damage worth £50,000 to a Mercedes which was crashed into a bollard during its attempted theft from Stoneacre Toyota in Sunderland
• £10,000 worth of damage to two vehicles at Evans Halshaw Nissan in Sunderland
• Damage and loss worth £12,000 by Johnson stealing a diagnostics laptop from Wearside Audi in Sunderland

The men were subject to court orders and suspended sentences at the time of the spree, Mr Jones said.

Both men also admitted using bricks to smash their way into Tesco Express in Fulwell on 4 November, stealing £1,000 worth of alcohol and vapes, and fleeing with two vacuum cleaners worth about £620 from Asda in Boldon on 25 November.

The pair also caused £700 worth of damage and stole £600 worth of alcohol and vapes from the Co-op in South Shields on 6 January, the court heard.

Johnson, who was found with a wrap of cocaine in his sock, asked for 10 further burglaries to be taken into account and Pemberton for six, the court heard.

They included thefts worth at least £2,000 from shops in Boldon, Gateshead, Whitburn and South Shields, the court heard.

Judge Clemitson said she had previously given both men a chance of "wiping the slate clean" and to get help for their drug and alcohol addiction, but they had quickly gone on to commit many more offences.

Pemberton was jailed for three years one month and banned from driving for six years 11 months.

Johnson was jailed for two years 11 months and banned from driving for six years five months.

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