Essex Police arrested 25 people on suspicion of burglary

A total of 25 people were arrested in connection to 148 offences – with many questioned about several offences and some questioned in connection with the same offence.

One individual who was arrested was 18-year-old Kian O’Connor, of Romford Road in Aveley.

Within 45 minutes of receiving the call, O’Connor was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Location - Police were called to a location in Fir Park with regards to Kian O’Connor (Image: Google Maps)

O’Connor has now been charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, one count each of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal vehicles.

He has been released on bail until 16 April. 

In the same week, “three prolific burglars” were sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison.

Sentenced - (Left to Right) Thomas Davis, Steven Watts, and Alan Clough (Image: Essex Police)

Thomas Davis, who was serving a prison sentence at the time of his latest trial, received three years and 10 months in prison.

Mr Davis, 38, had even shared images of the stolen cars – including a Bentley – on his Facebook page.

Crashed - Thomas Davis crashed his stolen car into a Canvey Island business (Image: Essex Police)

While Steven Watts, 32, and Alan Clough, 36, – who are also both in prison already – received five years and four months and four years and one months respectively.

Bentley - Thomas Davis in a Bentley he stole in 2016 (Image: Essex Police)

Essex Police said that thanks to their crime prevention work, there has been almost 3,200 fewer residential burglaries this year than five years ago – a drop of 39 per cent.

This reduction was seen in Basildon and Southend as well with police saying they are “solving more of these burglaries now than this time than last year”.

Superintendent Tim Tubbs, force strategic lead for burglary, said: “Burglary causes an immense amount of hurt to victims, well beyond the financial losses they may suffer.

“We’ve made these incidents a priority for our officers and have brought the number of these incidents countywide down over the last five years.

He added: “This is just one week in a year-round effort to tackle this crime.”

Essex Police arrested and held in custody 1,064 people in 2023 – a figure which may include persons who were taken to custody on suspicion of burglary more than once.