A gang of six burglars described by a judge as “wild and feral” has been jailed for a combined 28 years after committing 89 night-time break-ins across England and Wales, targeting Co-op stores and other retailers in a £600,000 crime wave.
89 Smash-and-Grab Burglaries Across 25 Counties
The group carried out rapid break-ins from Somerset to Norfolk, as well as Hampshire, Sussex, Kent, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Staffordshire and parts of Wales.
Most of the raids focused on cash machines inside Co-op stores, with thieves forcing entry before grabbing money and fleeing within minutes.
Winchester Crown Court heard the men routinely travelled from Southampton to commit the offences, using stolen or hired vehicles fitted with cloned plates to avoid detection. The conspiracy ran from April 2022 to September 2023.
Prosecutors said more than £450,000 in cash was stolen, with the cost of damage pushing the total loss to over £600,000.
Ringleaders and Roles Inside the Gang
The court heard that Danny Kernaghan, 39, from Eastleigh, acted as one of the key organisers, linked to 71 offences.
His crimes included a raid on a vape store in Yeovil where £60,000 worth of products were taken.
Judge Christopher Parker KC said Kernaghan and fellow ringleader Leevan Sharma, 37, from Southampton, operated like senior figures within the group. Sharma was linked to 31 offences.
Others involved were:
- Liam Dean Attrill, 26, Southampton – 15 offences
- Harrison Sean Randall, 29, Southampton – 13 offences
- Ravi Mahendra Parmar, 43, Southampton – 5 offences
- Albert Wyraz, 28, Southampton – 12 offences
Kernaghan, Sharma, Randall and Wyraz denied conspiracy to commit burglary but were convicted after a six-week trial.
Parmar pleaded guilty on day four of the trial and Attrill did so on day five.
Judge: “You behaved as a wild and feral pack”
Sentencing the men, Judge Parker said:
“In a civilised society, you each behaved as part of a wild and feral pack, which had no regard for people’s businesses, their livelihoods or their sense of safety.”
He added that the raids were marked by their “focused, rapid smash-and-grab nature”.
Sentences handed down:
- Danny Kernaghan – 9 years
- Leevan Sharma – 6 years
- Harrison Randall – 4 years
- Liam Attrill – 3 years and 4 months
- Albert Wyraz – 3 years
- Ravi Parmar – 2 years and 6 months
Police: “They felt they were above the law”
Investigating officer Paul Harrison said:
“This has been a long and complex investigation, but I am pleased to see all six beginning prison sentences today. They wreaked havoc on businesses nationwide and caused misery to people whose cars or number plates were stolen.”
He added that cooperation between multiple police forces helped ensure the gang was brought to justice.