SOME of Dorset’s most prolific burglars have been sentenced to a total of 56 years in prison in 2014, police said.

The 18 offenders were brought to justice by Dorset Police’s Priority Crime Team – specialist detectives based in Bournemouth and Weymouth dedicated to solving ‘acquisitive’ crime, such as burglary and vehicle crime.

Detective Inspector Andy Dilworth, of Dorset Police’s Priority Crime Team, said: “These prolific offenders are just a handful of burglars dealt with by the team this year as part of the ongoing Operation Castle initiative.

“Their offending has caused misery to homeowners and we hope the sentences handed out by the courts send out a very clear message that we will not cease in targeting known burglars. If you commit this crime in Dorset, we will be after you.

“I would like to reassure residents that reducing burglary is a force priority and dwelling burglary has fallen by 14.9 per cent in the last year, with 168 fewer homes broken into and victims.”

Dorset Police will be using a range of tactics during the Christmas and New Year period in a bid to reduce burglaries in the county – part of the force’s Christmas campaign ‘Don’t let thieves ruin your Christmas’.

They will target suspected offenders, step up patrols in vulnerable areas and clamp down on handlers of stolen goods.

In December 2013 and January 2014, Dorset Police made 138 arrests during their Christmas campaign.

DI Dilworth continued: “During Operation Castle we will continue to focus on targeting suspected offenders and work in partnership with other agencies such as probation and the health service. We have recently introduced a voluntary electronic GPS tagging system for our prolific offenders to assist their rehabilitation.

“I am urging the public to help us continue to reduce burglary offences in Dorset by making it hard for offenders to target their property.”

Security advice can be found on the Crime Prevention Portal on the Dorset Police website - http://CrimePrevention.dorset.police.uk.

The burglars jailed this year were:

Bournemouth Echo:

Kevin Saunders, 28 – five years

Bournemouth Echo:

Manny Barney, 34 – five years

Bournemouth Echo:

Dean Turner, 24 – 40 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Victor Cumberbatch, 49 – 44 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Darren Lane, 37 – four years

Bournemouth Echo:

Stephen Payne, 56 – three years

Bournemouth Echo:

David Joseph Adams, 29 – three years

Bournemouth Echo:

Derek Barrington Tulloch, 48 – 30 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Danny Tony Brand, 32 – four years

Bournemouth Echo:

David George Hinchey, 32 – three years

Bournemouth Echo:

Gemma Anne McNichol, 27 – 40 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Phillip Donald Nutley, 44 – 44 months

Bournemouth Echo:

James Studley, 29 – 20 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Leslie Dennis Marsh, 19 – 20 months

Bournemouth Echo:

John Rocky Swanson, 32 – three years

Bournemouth Echo:

Michael Douglas Johnson, 43 – 20 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Samuel Cooper, 29 – 20 months

Bournemouth Echo:

Nicholas Grant Edwards, 62 – three years

Dwelling burglary offences in Dorset for the past five years

Oct 2013: 148        Nov 2013: 145       Dec 2013: 115       Jan 2014: 158

Oct 2012: 171        Nov 2012: 146       Dec 2012: 164       Jan 2013: 118

Oct 2011: 161        Nov 2011: 155       Dec 2011: 201       Jan 2012: 175

Oct 2010: 152        Nov 2010: 149       Dec 2010: 215       Jan 2011: 221

Oct 2009: 153        Nov 2009: 160       Dec 2009: 175       Jan 2010: 168