Gang members who travelled from the London area to raid a cannabis grow in a Mansfield street have been locked up.
Police caught the six men red-handed as they tried to steal a crop of around 260 cannabis plants in the early hours of the morning.
An investigation by detectives found the gang were part of a wider conspiracy.
They made use of drone footage to identify cannabis grows before groups were deployed to travel to the location, break-in and steal the plants.
Officers were first alerted by a neighbouring resident who spotted someone climbing into an upstairs window of the Birding Street property wearing a balaclava at 4.55am on 6 May 2024.
When police arrived at the scene they found cars outside the terraced house and lights on inside.
A man was seen running to an awaiting Vauxhall Zafira which sped off.
Officers caught up with the vehicle after a stinger was deployed on the A5 in Northamptonshire later that day.
The car continued to drive at speed despite a number of tyres being spiked, putting other road users in danger, until it came to a stop.
Andrew Thomas and Donnell Quarry were arrested after being found inside the stricken vehicle.
Upstairs inside the Birding Street address, officers encountered a number of other men as well as cannabis plants both growing and recently cropped. They also found a knife on the stairs.
Dichrije Elliel, Khalid Omar and Galom Yackobi were found in the bathroom. Yackobi tried to escape by jumping from the window but suffered a broken wrist and was detained by officers.
A further man, Addil Elmi, tried to run from the property but was also arrested.
Officers also found a man who had been looking after the cannabis grow and had been threatened with a knife when the men burst in. He has been dealt with by the courts separately.
Further investigations revealed a Mercedes outside the property had earlier travelled in convoy with the Vauxhall from the London area to Mansfield.
A series of Snapchat messages were sent by members of the gang along their route up the M1 and once they were inside the house.
Analysis of seized mobile phones revealed the group were making use of ‘scouts’ who searched for possible cannabis grows using drones with heat seeking cameras.
The footage was then sent to gang members in London who assembled a team to travel and steal the grow.
They had also travelled to other areas in north Nottinghamshire earlier in the night but it appears they had ruled out carrying out further raids.
It has been estimated the value of the Birding Street grow would have been more than £22,000 wholesale.
Elliel, aged 26, of Tanners Mews, London, and Thomas, 25, of Campbell Square, Northampton, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery after a trial in October. Elliel was also convicted of aggravated burglary.
Twenty-five-year-old Elmi, of Buchan Road, London; Omar, 24, of Montague Road, Uxbridge; Quarry, 25, of Langston Hughes Close, London and Yackobi, 20, of Brambles Farm Drive, Uxbridge, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery.
The six men were in the dock at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (18 July) to be sentenced.
Elmi, who played a leading role and took part in the planning of the raid, was handed a custodial sentence of three years and three months.
Omar received a sentence of three years and four months.
Elliel was put behind bars for five years.
Yackobi, who the court heard took part in the raid for ‘easy money’, was locked up for two years and four months.
Thomas, who was driving the Vauxhall, received a three-and-a-half-year custodial sentence after also admitting dangerous driving and driving without a licence or insurance.
Quarry was handed a custodial sentence of four years and eight months.
Detective Sergeant Rachel Mayfield, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“We know the cultivation of cannabis can cause huge issues for communities and this case demonstrates how it can bring organised criminals to your doorstep.
“The residents on the street were understandably extremely concerned by what happened that night and I hope they are at least comforted by our response and the sentences handed down.
“I would like to commend the officers who attended the scene and were confronted with a confusing and potentially dangerous situation.
“The determination of officers to catch up with Quarry and Thomas after they fled the scene should also be recognised and this successful pursuit involved coordination between several different forces.
“Detective Constable Jasdip Hayer and other officers who worked on the case carried out a meticulous investigation which has resulted in this outcome at court.
“I would urge anyone who suspects cannabis is being grown in their neighbourhood to get in touch so we can put the grow out of use and prevent it becoming a magnet for this type of criminality.
“We will not tolerate dangerous criminals like this gang travelling from elsewhere in the country to our communities and I hope this sends a strong message that they can expect to be met with a robust response from the force.”