Burglary gang caught thanks to quick-thinking victim

Members of a burglary gang have been locked up thanks to the quick-thinking and bravery of one of their victims.

The five men, with ages ranging from 18 to 39, parked up in a car with gloves and masks in Hick’s Lane, Girton, near Cambridge, ready to strike at about 6.30pm on 10 January.

They broke in through a back window and stole jewellery from rooms and cash from two safes.

Pictured: from left (main photo) Gustavo Albornoz Gutierrez, 38, top row: Cristian Baeza Caceres, 33, Joseph Araya Morales, 23, bottom row: Hans Zomosa Merino, 39, Gerson Araya Morales, 18.   

However, the victim had noticed the burglars’ car on leaving his house a short time earlier and a neighbour living next door had seen them begin their raid on CCTV and alerted him.

He immediately turned around and drove back to his house and saw the burglars driving away as he pulled into Hick’s Lane.

He followed the car onto Girton Road and then Huntingdon Road where police officers arrived to arrest the gang close to the junction with Histon Road.

On Thursday (10 April), at Cambridge Crown Court, the gang were sentenced after they all pleaded guilty to the burglary and another in Ipswich on 8 January.

• Gustavo Albornoz Gutierrez, 38, of Thornton Road, London, was jailed for 35 months.
• Gerson Araya Morales, 18, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 28 months in a young offenders institute.
• Joseph Araya Morales, 23, of no fixed address, was jailed for 34 months.
• Cristian Baeza Caceres, 33, of Sentinel Square, London, was jailed for 37 months.
• Hans Zomosa Merino, 39, of no fixed address, was jailed for 34 months.

DC Lisa Bacon said: “This gang was caught thanks to the quick-thinking of the victim, the nieghbour noticing them on CCTV and the brisk response of my response colleagues.

“It also led to us finding the evidence linking them to the burglary in Ipswich. 

“Burglary is a force priority and a despicable crime which violates people’s homes and properties so I’m glad they’ve been jailed.”

For burglary prevention advice, please visit the dedicated pages of the force website.