Video: Organised gang jailed after £785,000 rural crime spree
© Tim Scrivener Five members of an organised crime group responsible for a £785,000 burglary and theft spree targeting farms, rural businesses and other premises across Lincolnshire have been jailed.
The gang was linked to 13 burglaries and three thefts, with losses totalling £785,042.07. All five defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday 11 September.
Zamuel Mallinson, 35, of Drigh Road, Brookenby, was jailed for six years and two months. Benjamin Barnes, 40, of Priority Crescent, Scunthorpe, received four years and four months, while Richard Rowles, 35, of Edinburgh Road, Brookenby, was sentenced to three years and three months.
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Jordan Howard, 29, of Dale View, Grimsby, was jailed for two years and one month and Ryan Mumby, 32, of Kingsley Grove, Nunsthorpe, received three years.
A sixth man, Jolon Mallinson, 30, of Orford Close, Brookenby, pleaded guilty to three offences and will be sentenced at a later date.
The investigation began after Zamuel Mallinson was arrested over three offences, including the theft of three quad bikes belonging to the RNLI, which had been purchased to support lifesaving operations along the Lincolnshire coastline.
Police subsequently identified links between apparently separate crimes and the Serious and Organised Crime Unit launched a wider investigation.
A breakthrough came from forensic examination of three mobile phones seized from Mallinson. Call and location data, CCTV and forensic evidence helped investigators build a picture of the gang’s movements and identify links between suspects.
Police said the group, led by Mallinson and Barnes, used older 4×4 vehicles fitted with cloned number plates. They planned offences extensively, often travelling at night while wearing gloves, heavy clothing and face coverings.
The RNLI burglary in Burgh Le Marsh in May 2023 showed the level of planning involved.
After spotting the newly purchased quad bikes being transported through Lincolnshire, members of the gang followed the delivery vehicle to discover where they would be stored.
Captured on CCTV
CCTV and phone evidence showed the site was then monitored before the group returned at night and forced entry to steal all three machines.
Detective Sergeant Adam Petty said the gang had been “terrorising” rural communities, and had been “absolutely prolific” in their activities.
He added that “farms, businesses, charities and individuals were left facing substantial financial losses and disruption as a result of their actions”.
He said the theft of the RNLI vehicles showed the group’s “complete disregard for others”.