Goring burglars arrested thanks to vigilant neighbour after tipper truck and licensed shotguns stolen

Two men have been jailed three months after the burglary at a home in Goring Way. John Brooks, 49, of Selden Road, Worthing; and Anthony Micallef, 43, of no fixed address will spend a total of four-and-a-half years behind bars.

The burglary, which happened whilst the home owners were on holiday, was reported on the morning of Friday, August 12.

Police were alerted to the incident by a ‘vigilant neighbour’, after they noticed the victims’ front door was wide open and their white Ford tipper truck was missing from the driveway.

A police spokesperson said: “A marker for the vehicle was placed on the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) system, and it triggered a camera in the area shortly afterwards.

“Enquiries also revealed two licensed shotguns were missing from the property; this triggered a response from unmarked firearms officers, who located and stopped the vehicle driving eastbound through Shoreham.”

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In the rear of the vehicle were two bikes, which the victim later confirmed had been stolen from the house, police said.

They also confirmed a number of jars containing cash for their children had been stolen.

"The firearms were later recovered and returned to the owner,” the police spokesperson said. “The suspects were subsequently arrested and charged with burglary.”

They appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday, November 16, where they were each sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Rick Brown, said: “Thankfully in this case the offenders were quickly apprehended and the majority of the stolen property was recovered thanks to excellent work by different departments within Sussex Police.

“The impact on the victims of these crimes cannot be underestimated, especially when there are children involved.

“The length of the sentences reflects how these matters are taken seriously by the police and courts, and my sincerest hope is that this will help the victims find some closure and be able to move on with their lives.”

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