A burglar and his accomplice have been sentenced to prison following a series of brazen offences across six counties in southeast England last year. Between October 3 and November 8, 2023, Dean Beldom, 32, and Andrew Smith, 38, carried out a spree of burglaries targeting Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Thames Valley, Avon and Somerset, and Wiltshire. In Surrey and Hampshire, the areas the pair hit included Alton, Bordon, Farnham, and Shottermill (Haslemere).

The duo targeted properties with high-performance or 4x4 vehicles, often stealing keys and vehicles under the cover of night. In several cases, the homes themselves were also burgled, with valuable jewellery among the stolen items. The offenders fitted their getaway cars with stolen number plates to try and avoid detection from police.

Beldom and Smith also committed several 'smash and grab' raids on cigarette kiosks and ATMs. CCTV footage showed the offenders using crowbars, angle grinders, and stolen vehicles to force their way into shops and cash machines. They would fill industrial waste bags with cigarettes before fleeing and attach blue strapping around cash machines, using stolen 4x4s to drag them out, often destroying the whole store in the process.

At one cigarette break-in in Petworth in November, officers arriving at the scene had a crowbar thrown at them before the offenders raced off with their boot open, sending stolen goods flying all over the road. The pair also rammed police vehicles in their bid to avoid capture, but investigative efforts eventually led to their arrest.

Beldom became the key suspect after he was forensically linked to several of the offences. His brother, Smith, was later also linked through investigative work around his mobile phone.

Smith was wanted for absconding from HMP Hollesley Bay in Suffolk on September 27, where he was serving an 18-year sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, failing to comply with the community requirements of a suspended sentence, and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Following their arrest on November 9, 2023, Beldom and Smith faced multiple charges. At their pre-trial hearings, Smith admitted to escaping lawful custody, handling stolen goods, and being carried in a stolen vehicle. Beldom pleaded guilty to a comprehensive list of crimes, including 30 business burglaries, 11 residential burglaries, and several attempted further crimes.

On July 5, Beldom was sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in the conspiracy, while Smith received a six-month sentence for his various offences. The total value of the stolen items was more than £500,000, including £247,526 worth of vehicles and £109,688.46 of cigarettes and tobacco.

Investigating officer Sergeant Sarah Wentworth said: “This is serious and organised crime driven entirely by greed. They showed no remorse and no regard for the damage caused or the risk posed to others, as well as a blatant disregard for the criminal justice system.”

She added: “I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this investigation for helping to put these men behind bars where they belong.”