Two men who were wanted as part of a year-long investigation into a network of criminals burgling houses and selling on stolen property, have been arrested in Ilford and charged with seven offences of theft from motor vehicles.
Thomas Reilly, 22, from Woolwich in London, and Gerard Reilly, 24, from Coventry, were arrested at the weekend, after their details were circulated on the Police National Computer.
The offences all took place between November 2012 and March 2013 in Bedminster, Keynsham, Speedwell, Knowle, Staple Hill and Whitchurch.
During September, October and November last year a series of dawn raids were carried out by more than 100 officers, targeting Bristol's most prolific burglars and thieves.
The police seized hundreds of items they suspected of being stolen and so far 185 of these have been returned to victims.
The operation has resulted in 36 people being sentenced, with two more heading for trial later this year.
DC Gary Booth from the Serious Crime Group said: "These arrests and subsequent charges are immensely satisfying for all the officers who were involved in this operation.
"It demonstrates our determination to crack down on burglary and theft and bring offenders to justice.
"I'd like to remind people that being able to prove things are stolen is a very important part of our work. Anything with a serial number, from mobile phones and TVs, to bike frames and cameras, should be registered on the national property database Immobilise.com. We use it when we seize stolen property and, crucially, second-hand shops use it when someone tries to sell items to them.
"I also can't stress enough how important it is to ensure you have tracking software installed on phones and laptops. We can – and do – use it to literally catch burglars red-handed."
