Police were praised by a judge for their work in keeping a gang of burglars under surveillance and bugging a stolen BMW they used in a raid.

Ringleader Craig Pieper, 28, of South View Avenue, Caversham, Dwaine Joseph, 27, of Mead Close, Caversham and Scott Allaway, 28, of Green Road, East Reading, all admitted conspiracy to burgle between December last year and February this year and were jailed on Friday (1) at Reading Crown Court.

Pieper, who was imprisoned for six years, also admitted three additional attempted burglaries on July 21 last year.

Oliver Duncan, prosecuting described how police recognised Pieper in a CCTV image and Allaway in another.

Then they found a stolen BMW which had been left hidden to be used by the gang at a later date.

Police bugged the BMW and were able to keep the gang under surveillance before arresting them.

Mr Duncan said the burglars used the same MO in most of the break-ins, using an adapted tool to remove locks on UPVC doors.

They targeted large detached family homes and in some cases stole valuable cars as well as property from inside the house.

The BMW was a stolen company car taken in a burglary in Woodcote Way, Caversham on July 21, 2013, and it was found soon afterwards  on August 15.

Police bugged the car and it was used overnight on February 16/17 at a burglary between 2am and 4.30am in Mill Lane, Kidmore End, when an £82,000 Range Rover was stolen as well as a wallet and two handbags while the family with two children aged 10 and 12 were asleep in the house.

Joseph was arrested that night in the BMW with the adapted tool for breaking in on him, and two handbags in the car.

Dwaine Joseph jailed for conspiracy to burgle

Pieper was arrested later. Another house in Shepherds Lane, Caversham, was targeted on the same night as the burglars tried to get in through a rear door.

Allaway admitted being involved only on December 4 last year when CCTV at a house in Orchard Road, Shinfield captured two men attempting to force a UPVC door and police were able to identify Allaway in the footage.

Scott Allaway jailed for conspiracy to burgle

Another house in the road was burgled that night but it was unoccupied and nothing was taken.

Five days later a house in Hilltop Road, Earley, was broken into and after a "messy search" Mr Duncan said a laptop and wallet were stolen.

A silver Vauxhall Corsa was seen in the area - a car belonging to Pieper's girlfriend - which was kept under surveillance by police.

Judge Stephen John made reference to the fact the original police investigation - which involved 60 burglaries across Berkshire and Oxfordshire - covered a much wider range of crimes than those which were eventually admitted by the defendants.

He said he mentioned it "so the police appreciate that I know what efforts were made by them in this lengthy and complex investigation".

He sentenced Pieper to six years imprisonment, Joseph to three years and Allaway to one year.

Although all three had criminal records and had all served terms in prison or Young Offenders' Institution, he said Pieper had "much the worst record".

Pieper has a record of 34 offences and 13 convictions. Two previous offences of breaking into houses meant this conviction was a "third strike" raising the sentence to at least four years.

Judge John said he had a "very bad record for burglary".