Northampton burglars jailed after hunt by PD Walt and Operation Crooked team

Two burglars are in jail after being tracked down by a police dog and Northamptonshire Police's Operation Crooked team.

Ben Ginn and Allan Upton both previously of Northampton were both sentenced to 2 and a half years at Northampton Crown Court after breaking into one house in in Billing and attempting to steal from three more.

Ginn, 43, was arrested on the night after trying to play hide and seek with PD Walt – and losing.

PC Kyle McGregor who works as PD Walt’s handler, said: “This case is a stark reminder to burglars that the deployment of police dogs is a tactic we are not afraid to use when burglars try and escape.

“As this case shows, in a race between a highly-trained dog and a burglar, there will only be one winner.”

The court heard how Ginn and 31-year-old Upton broke into a garage in the Penfold Lane area of Northampton and stole a bicycle.

They then attempted another burglary in the same area before also attempting break-ins at nearby properties in Worcester Close and Whiteheart Close.

Operation Crooked is Northamptonshire Police’s campaign to cut burglaries in the county.

Detective Inspector Wayne Preece, said: “This is another great result for Northamptonshire Police’s burglary team – two more burglars taken off our streets to spend some time behind bars.

“Home invasions or attempted home invasions leave a person feeling scared and vulnerable and this is something we won’t stand for – everyone has the right to feel safe in their homes.

“Burglaries continue to reduce in Northamptonshire as part of Operation Crooked but we will not take our foot off the gas.

“We will continue to work hard to both investigate and prevent burglaries, making the message that this county is a hostile place to burglars, crystal clear.”