SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: Twelve charged over £2.5m paintings and jewellery burglary haul from eight years ago

TWELVE men have been charged with offences relating to an aggravated burglary in South Somerset dating back to 2009.

Valuable paintings and jewellery were taken from the property in the Bruton area in March of that year.

Fifteen well-known and valuable paintings, expensive jewellery and silverware - including a silver canteen of cutlery, ornate mirror and pair of silver candelabra - were taken during the burglary. They were together valued at around £2.5m.

All but one of the 15 paintings taken, have been recovered. The outstanding painting is Sir John Lavery’s work entitled After Glow Taplow.

Following a complex and detailed investigation a series of arrests were made in the West Midlands, Gloucestershire, London, Surrey and Kent.

Twelve men have been charged in connection with the burglary and are due to appear before Bristol Magistrates’ Court on August 24, 2017.

The details are of the dozen men are as follows:

• 41-year-old man from Gloucester – charged with conspiracy to rob.
• 40-year-old man from Gloucester – charged with conspiracy to rob.
• 45-year-old man of no fixed address – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property.
• 38-year-old man of no fixed address - charged with conspiracy to rob and assisting in the realisation of stolen property.
• 63-year-old man from Dartford – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property and conspiracy to defraud.
• 55-year-old man from London – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property.
• 62-year-old man from Weighbridge, Surrey – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property, conspiracy to defraud and perverting the course of justice.
• 52-year-old man from London – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property and conspiracy to defraud.
• 55-year-old man from London – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property and conspiracy to defraud.
• 60-year-old man from Birmingham – charged with converting criminal property.
• 64-year-old man from Solihull – charged with converting criminal property.
• 42-year-old man from Birmingham – charged with assisting in the realisation of stolen property.

Tags:
News.