Burglars sentenced after raiding six homes in two hours in Wigan

Residents in Orrell, Worsley Mesnes and Poolstock were woken in the early hours by windows being smashed and alarms sounding as their homes were broken into.

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Now, Darren Clarke, 21, and Michael Wilde, 35, have appeared at Bolton Crown Court court to be sentenced after admitting their crimes.

They both pleaded guilty to four break-ins, two attempted break-ins and taking a car without the owner’s consent.

Wilde, of no fixed address, was jailed for four years for the burglaries and attempted burglaries, along with 12 months for stealing the car, to run concurrently.

That will be begin after the 30-month prison sentence he is currently serving for robbery comes to an end.

Clarke, of Ormskirk Road, Pemberton, was sentenced to two years of detention in a young offenders’ institute for the burglaries and attempted burglaries, along with 12 months for taking the car, both suspended for two years.

He must do 180 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity days, a four-month curfew from 7pm to 6am and pay compensation of £250 to one of the victims.

Their burglary spree took place on Friday, September 7, with their first target being a house on Orrell Road at 12.40am.

The pair stole a Vauxhall Zafira, which contained a blue G-shock watch, as well as a cinema pass and green garden glove.

Another resident was woken up when they heard loud banging at their home on Shelley Drive, Orrell, at 1.20am. A patio kitchen window was smashed and a Volkswagen car key was stolen.

Between 2am and 2.30am, a burglar alarm woke up someone at a house on Jackwood Close in Worsley Mesnes.

Panes of glass on French doors had been smashed and the doors opened, with a black door key stolen.

Clarke and Wilde also tried to get into a neighbouring property, with a resident hearing noises and noticing their French doors had also been smashed and opened.

Another attempted burglary took place on Shakespeare Grove, Worsley Mesnes, at 2am.

Fence panels were pushed through and a conservatory door was smashed, but nothing was taken. A resident banged on the window and two men made an offensive hand gesture, before walking away.

The pair’s final crime was at a house on Poolstock Lane, where a resident heard a police helicopter outside and someone in the property, so called 999.

The back door had been damaged with a brick.

When police arrived, they arrested both men and found several items left in the living room - a Vauxhall key, a Vokswagen key and a black key, along with a silver torch with multi-tool back and a black balaclava.