Five members of a burglary gang have been sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court following a dramatic arrest sparked by the vigilance of one Girton resident and a watchful neighbour.
On the evening of January 10th, the gang — aged between 18 and 39 — parked in Hick’s Lane, Girton, masked and gloved, ready to break into a home. They forced entry through a rear window, stealing cash from safes and valuable jewellery.
Unbeknownst to them, their plan was already unraveling. The homeowner had spotted the suspicious vehicle earlier and, alerted by a neighbour’s CCTV footage, rushed back to his property. As the burglars fled, he tailed their car down Girton Road and onto Huntingdon Road, where police intercepted and arrested the group near Histon Road.
Those sentenced were:
- Gustavo Albornoz Gutierrez (38) – 35 months
- Cristian Baeza Caceres (33) – 37 months
- Joseph Araya Morales (23) – 34 months
- Gerson Araya Morales (18) – 28 months in a young offenders institute
- Hans Zomosa Merino (39) – 34 months
The gang also admitted to a similar burglary in Ipswich on January 8th, further strengthening the case against them.
This gang was caught thanks to the quick-thinking of the victim, the neighbour noticing them on CCTV, and the brisk response of my colleagues. Burglary is a despicable crime, and I’m glad they’ve been jailed.
Detective Constable Lisa Bacon
This case underscores the power of community vigilance and fast police work in cracking down on property crime.
