Five men convicted of criminal damage and arson to vehicles in High Wycombe

Five men, who are all from High Wycombe, have been convicted of a series of offences including arson and criminal damage to vehicles in High Wycombe.

The men pleaded guilty at Aylesbury Crown Court sitting at Amersham on Wednesday 7th September 2015.

The court case followed an investigation into a series of criminal damage offences to vehicles that took place in High Wycombe on Saturday 14th March 2015 and Thursday 9th April 2015.

Two of the men also pleaded guilty to a separate series of arsons to vehicles that took place between Thursday 11th and Friday 12th December 2014.

A 20 year old man of Alford Road, High Wycombe pleaded guilty to causing damage to a series of vehicles belonging to others without lawful excuse on Saturday 14th March 2015. He was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay compensation (£350), costs (£150) and a victim surcharge (£80).

A 22 year old man of Chiltern Avenue, High Wycombe pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, causing damage to a series of vehicles belonging to others without lawful excuse and arson on Thursday 9th April 2015. He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, five months imprisonment and 15 months respectively and had to pay a victim surcharge (£100).

A 21 year old man of Rutland Avenue, High Wycombe pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, causing damage to a series of vehicles belonging to others without lawful excuse and arson on Thursday 9th April 2015. He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, five months imprisonment and 15 months respectively and had to pay a victim surcharge (£80).

A 20 year old man of Rutland Avenue, High Wycombe pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, causing damage to a series of vehicles belonging to others without lawful excuse and arson on Thursday 9th April 2015. He also pleaded guilty to a series of arsons to vehicles on or about Thursday 11th December 2014. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment for arson on Thursday 11th December 2014 and 10 months imprisonment, five months imprisonment and 15 months imprisonment relating to theft, criminal damage and arson offences on Thursday 9th April 2015.

All of the sentences will run concurrently.

An 18 year old man of Deeds Grove, High Wycombe pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, causing damage to a series of vehicles belonging to others without lawful excuse and arson on Thursday 9th April 2015. He also pleaded guilty to a series of arsons to vehicles on or about Thursday 11th December 2014. He will be sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday 4th November 2015.

In additionally four of the men were issued with Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) concerning their conduct in the community and to help prevent them engaging in such behaviour in the future.

The convictions and orders follow a wide scale investigation into a series of more than 300 criminal damages to vehicles which occurred in the Castlefield, Booker and Cressex areas of High Wycombe between March and May 2015.

The investigation continues and four men from High Wycombe remain on police bail.

Det Sgt Dave Percival of Wycombe CID said: ‘Following a long and protracted investigation, five individuals have been convicted of causing mindless criminal damage. For those intent on committing these types of anti-social crimes, our investigation team will work continuously until all those responsible are held to account for their actions.‘

LPA Commander for Wycombe, Supt Ed McLean said: ‘I would like to highlight just what a complicated and difficult investigation this has been. My officers and staff have worked tirelessly to catch and convict those responsible for this unnecessary and unprecedented series of criminal damage which I know, affected so many in Wycombe.

I would like to place on record my thanks to the community and key partner agencies for their assistance and for coming forward to help us identify and bring the offenders to justice.

Wycombe continues to be a safe place to live, socialise and work and we will do everything we can to keep it that way.‘