Brothers locked up after crime spree in Dudley
Two serial thief brothers who went on a crime spree together were starting jail sentences totalling more than five years today.
Scott and Shane O'Rourke took the keys to a car while it was parked near a dental practice in Dixons Green Road, Dudley, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
For unknown reasons the keys had been left on a wall in the street by the couple who owned the Honda Civic, explained Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting.
The brothers drove away in the vehicle – which has not been recovered – on September 1 with 28-year-old Shane at the wheel and Scott, aged 30, in the front passenger seat.
Police identified the pair from CCTV footage of the incident.
Four days later the brothers smashed their way into a house in Chapel Street, Pensnett, while the occupants were at work.
The thieves broke a panel in the kitchen door at the rear of the address, causing £500 damage, and searched drawers in rooms throughout the house, said Mr Searle.
But a sharp-eyed neighbour saw what was going on and alerted the police who arrived at the scene as the pair fled from the property with their near-£2,000 haul of electrical gear, games consoles and mobile phones.
The burglars reached their Fiat Punto getaway car that was parked nearby and Shane had started the engine when a police officer managed to smash the driver's side window and snatch the key from the ignition before the driver could accelerate out of reach.
Drug problems were responsible for the repeat offending of both men, said Miss Nicole Steers, defending, who appealed for a sentence that would help the brothers – who both come from Black Acre Road, Buffery, Dudley – to break the habit.
Scott had 24 previous convictions involving 45 separate offences, 27 of which were for theft and kindred crimes. They included two domestic burglaries.
Shane had 26 offences of dishonesty among his previous convictions which also included nine instances of driving while disqualified.
He had no previous conviction for domestic burglary.
Both pleaded guilty to the Chapel Street burglary and the theft of the Honda Civic from Dixons Green Road.
Shane further admitted driving while disqualified and driving with neither a licence nor insurance.
He was jailed for two years four months and banned from driving for four years two months.
His brother was locked up for three years.
