A team of burglars who were highly organised at targeting homes and taking expensive items are behind bars for a total of 16 years.

The trio targeted homes in Wimbledon specifically to steal electrical goods and high value cars in the early hours of the morning, whilst occupiers where asleep.

Cash, laptops and expensive watches were also among the items taken after Troy Hunter-Anderson, 26, Anton Alleyne, 18, and Dominic Hernandez, 24, broke into homes in Trevor Road and Merton Hall Road over the summer.

At one address in Trevor Road, they stole the keys of a Jaguar and drove off in it, later crashing into a wall in Aldrington Road, Streatham. Police said they abandoned the car and ran off.

A police spokesman said in the early hours of Thursday, July 17, officers from the Merton burglary squad stopped and arrested Hunter-Anderson and Hernandez who had just committed two burglaries in Engadine Street, Wandsworth, and were caught with stolen items.

Alleyne attempted to escape in an Audi A4 stolen from a previous burglary and drove at police officers.

The vehicle narrowly missed officers and crashed against eight parked vehicles and a lamppost. He eventually abandoned the car he was driving and was chased on foot by officers who arrested him.

The men admitted conspiracy to commit burglary whilst Alleyne was additionally charged with dangerous driving, which he also admitted.

They were jailed on Friday, November 28 at Kingston Crown Court.

Hunter-Anderson, of Knights Hill, West Norwood and Dominic Hernandez, 24, of Combermere Road, Morden, were both sentenced to five years in prison.

Alleyne, of Gipsy Road, West Norwood, was sentenced to six years for his part in the burglaries and for dangerous driving.

DC Mike Bunn, from the Merton burglary squad said: "This team of burglars were organised and pre-planned each of their crimes by targeting residential premises in south-west London.

"The lengthy sentence they have received highlights the seriousness of their crimes.

"We are satisfied with the result of our investigation and I hope that their prison sentences will bring the victims some closure."