Coventry gang stole £38,000 from hotel bedrooms across Britain

[dutchman]

A sophisticated gang of burglars targeted hotels across the country, including in number in Warwickshire, to steal bank cards which were then used in a series of frauds



Between them, the Coventry-based gang targeted around 20 hotels over a two-year period, making almost £38,000 from cards and cash they stole from guests’ rooms.

Craig Wills, who played ‘an enthusiastic part’ in the plot after he joined it, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to charges of conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Wills, 48, of Coleridge Close, Stoke, who said he only became involved in the conspiracy in July 2013, more than a year after it began, was jailed for four years.

With him in the dock were Jamie Gray, 28, of Pegmill Close, Whitley; Steven Gilmartin, 42, of Loudon Avenue, Radford; and Neil McCluckie, 37, of Sunbury Avenue, Tollbar End.

Gray, who admitted the burglary conspiracy on the basis that he was involved only on one day when 18 rooms were entered at the Brandon Hall Hotel in Brandon, was sentenced to 21 months suspended for 18 months, with 180 hours of unpaid work.

Gilmartin, who admitted taking part in both conspiracies on the basis that he took part in burgling one room at a hotel in St Albans and card frauds on three occasions, was sentenced to two years in jail suspended for 18 months, with supervision.

And McCluckie, who pleaded guilty to involvement in the fraud conspiracy by using bank cards on four dates, was sentenced to 16 months suspended for 18 months, again with supervision.

Among the Warwickshire hotels targeted were the Brandon Hall Hotel in September 2014, the Weston Hall Hotel in Bulkington the same month, and the Henley Hotel in Henley-in-Arden where some of the team, including Wills, struck twice in October 2014.

Wills was arrested at his home the day after the second of those, and as officers forced their way in, he rushed upstairs where they found him trying to burn documents in the bathroom.

They were able to seize some of his notes which gave them information about the planning behind the raids, with details of the targeted hotels, including what CCTV cameras there were, the best way to get to rooms, and the types of locks they had.

Sentencing the four, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said: “You were all, to a greater or lesser extent, a member of the group.

“The group activity was very serious indeed. And I accept you were not all involved in it for a long period.

“What the group did was burgle hotel rooms, steal cards and use them in frauds. Your hotel room is your private space, and you keep your things in there in the expectation that no-one will interfere with them.

“You all got yourselves involved, to a greater or lesser extent, in organised crime. This was a planned and organised operation.”

And she told Wills: “You are far more seriously involved in this than any of the other men in the dock with you. You were involved in the burglary of 16 hotels over a period of 15 months.

“I accept this was not your idea and that you joined a larger conspiracy that was already under way - but once you did join, you played an enthusiastic part in it.”

[rebbonk]

Having spent 18 months living out of various hotel rooms, I can tell you that in general, UK hotels are rather lax on security.

As soon as it gets a little warm, fire escapes are left/propped open, which bypasses any security afforded by the front desk.

It's also surprisingly easy to get and programme the door opening cards. - Most hotels use the same (or very similar) systems.

As regards using the 'safe' in your room, in my experience they aren't very safe and anyone who is remotely savvy can open one in a few seconds.

[Melisandre]

They sound as organised as the councils and government if not better hitting when your vunerable like when they charge for bedroom tax robbing the vunerable perhaps the governments should employ them.