Two brothers who stole more than £1 million in expensive cars and jewellery have been jailed.

They had sold stolen gold at Hatton Garden and gone shopping at Harrods with their ill-gotten gains.

The break-ins were across the country with four in Ashford, Dover and Folkestone and the pair were sentenced to six years each.

Linchum Price, 20, of Northampton Road, Broughton, Kettering, and John Price, 19, of Hargood Close, Colchester, admitted being involved in 21 burglaries when they appeared at Canterbury Crown Court last Friday.

The court heard how they stole high value cars and jewellery and in total the property is calculated to be in excess of £1 million.

After selling their stolen goods they went on lavish shopping sprees in Harrods, on one occasion spending £800 on a pair of children’s shoes.

CCTV and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) placed them at burglaries in Lincolnshire, Ipswich, Leicestershire, Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire and Kent.

In Kent officers identified them as committing two offences in Ashford, one in Dover and one in Folkestone.

On April 5 this year they committed three burglaries over a three-hour period, targeting houses in Park Avenue, Dover and two in Greystones, Ashford.

Detectives identified the brothers were using a silver Ford S-Max on cloned plates before attending the property in Park Avenue.

Litchum Price was seen on doorbell CCTV knocking at the door.

A short while later three men wearing facial coverings broke into the house.

The homeowner, who was alerted by CCTV, returned home to find two men leaving his house. They stole £1,000 in gold from the property.

The same day the men targeted two homes in Greystones. They were linked to the crimes via ANPR using the same Ford S-Max from the earlier burglary. Jewellery was stolen in the raids.

On April 7 the pair burgled a house in Freemantle Road, Folkestone. They stole £14,500 in cash and £6300 worth of jewellery.

They were linked to the scene once again by the Ford S-Max.

On May 29 John Price was stopped by a patrol at services in Peterborough, Northamptonshire.

A search of his car resulted in several number plates being located.

He was subsequently arrested.

Linchum Price was arrested on June 18 in Church Road, Nothants.

While officers were dealing with a suspicious vehicle they became aware of a car driving past them repeatedly.

The car was stopped and Price was arrested. In his vehicle was a collection of number plates, ceremonial knives and antibacterial spray.

The pair were later charged with conspiracy to commit burglary.

The case was led by Det Sgt Rob Goodban, who after the court hearing said: ‘These men were organised and calculated, selling the gold in Hatton Garden and setting up accounts with Harrods to launder the money from their ill-gotten gains.

"They planned their offences, often observing properties to check the occupants were not home then arming themselves and breaking in.

"They relentlessly targeted their victims, travelling to where they believed would be profitable and striking several times in one day.

"They were forensically aware, using anti-bacterial cleaner to try and remove forensic traces and evidentially aware, trying to evade justice by using vehicles on cloned plates.

"The Price brothers thought they would escape arrest by travelling around the country to steal. However we work closely with our partners in other forces to strengthen our cases against these criminals."

Kent Police have given burglary prevention advice to homeowners.

They say that most burglaries happen on weekdays in daylight when people are more likely to be out.

As well as locking up each time they leave homeowners should keep keys, cash and expensive items out of view and use timer switches on lights and radios to make your home look occupied.

They should also keep gates locked and boundaries secure, lock away bikes as well as tools and garden items that could be stolen or used to break into your home.

People should also security-mark items including bicycles, mobile telephones and laptops, keep receipts, mobile phone IMEI numbers and serial numbers safe and photograph and insure expensive or unique items.

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