Criminal gang caught after £1m burglary spree linked by trainer footprint

A criminal gang responsible for 59 burglaries across the Midlands and northern England has been brought to justice following a forensic breakthrough involving a unique footprint from a trainer.

Four men connected to the burglaries, which resulted in over £1 million worth of stolen valuables and heirlooms, were sentenced to more than 38 years in prison.

A fifth suspect, Endrit Nikoll, is due to be sentenced later in April.

The investigation was led by Cheshire Police, who identified the suspects through a rare tread pattern found on a Primark trainer at one of the crime scenes.

Forensic experts noted that the footprint acted almost like a fingerprint, linking the crimes together.

The gang used online tools such as Google to search affluent postcodes and Rightmove to examine floor plans of potential targets.

They planned their burglaries carefully, often breaking in through first-floor windows using ladders to avoid triggering downstairs alarm systems.

Detectives described the operation as highly organised, with the gang setting weekly targets for the amount of gold and valuables to steal.

Their method included ransacking homes and using bed sheets as makeshift bags to carry stolen items.

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