Coventry C2 gang: Four teenagers jailed over violent burglaries

Four teenagers from a gang who carried out violent break-ins leaving "victims terrified" have been jailed.

The gang members took high-performance cars during almost 40 burglaries in Coventry, Warwickshire and Leicestershire, police said.

Three youths, aged 17 and one of 16, admitted conspiracy to commit burglary and were jailed at Birmingham Crown Court.

They received sentences between 31 months and six years, six months.

The youths stole cars with an estimated combined value of £700,000 between December 2019 and March 2020.

They first stuck in Dawlish Drive, Stivichall, Coventry, when they took keys to a Seat Ateca Cupra after forcing open a kitchen window, police said.

Police found video on a phone "showing them boasting about being in the £38,000 car and accelerating at speed".

They later tried kicking open the front door to another Coventry home, while a family were inside.

In most cases, the burglaries were carried out when residents were out, but some victims were threatened and assaulted, West Midlands Police said.

One woman hid inside her bathroom when her Tile Hill home was broken into before a Mini was stolen.

In another case, a couple told police they hid and "feared for their lives" as burglars searched their Burbage home for keys to an Audi S3.

Det Insp Kerrie Martin said the offences had been really violent and the victims had been terrified.

She said its dedicated gangs unit was pursing members and officers would also help "those who want to step away from gangs".

"Young men and, sadly, boys linked to this C2 gang are behind a lot of the violence we've seen in Coventry," she said.

"We've now taken several members of the gang out of society where they no longer pose a danger to the public."

The youths, who cannot be named because of their ages, admitted the charges in March and were jailed on Friday.

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