CCTV captured the shocking moment ram raiders used a stolen vehicle to smash into a motor repair centre and steal £100k worth of luxury cars.
Three balaklava-wearing burglars used a Volkswagen Polo to reverse into the metal shutters at the Newcastle Repair Centre, before storming into the building.
Footage of the raid shows the burglars leave the Polo, which had been stolen from a street in Newcastle, once the shutters gave way.
Newcastle Crown Court heard once inside, they took the keys to seven cars but managed to steal two Mercedes C Class motors, one Mercedes E class and a BMW 5 series.
The owner of the repair centre said he felt he had ‘lost everything’ after the raid and said in an impact statement: ‘I’m at a complete loss, I don’t know what is next.’
Prosecutor Matthew Hopkins told the court although three people were involved, only one has been identified.
Kieran McMahon, 22, of Edward Road, Birtley, Gateshead, admitted theft of the Volkswagen Polo, theft of number plates to put on it and burglary at the repair centre.
Judge Tom Mitchell jailed him for three years.
Three balaklava-wearing burglars used a Volkswagen Polo to reverse into the metal shutters at the Newcastle Repair Centre, before storming into the building
The judge said the car owners suffered major inconvenience and the repair shop owner was left ‘bereft’.
Mr Hopkins told the court the Polo, which was worth £2,700, had been taken from Ellesmere Road in Newcastle on March 6.
Registration plates were stolen from another vehicle in the Fenham area of the city and put onto the Polo.
The three raiders then travelled to the repair centre on Condicum Road.
Mr Hopkins said: ‘What we see on CCTV is the stolen VW Polo arrive outside the garage, which was closed and locked up at the time.
‘A male wearing a balaclava gets out of the Polo and pushes a rubbish bag under a CCTV camera, trying to interfere with the CCTV camera.
Kieran McMahon, 22, of Edward Road, Birtley, Gateshead, admitted theft of the Volkswagen Polo, theft of number plates to put on it and burglary at the repair centre – he was jailed for three years
‘You then see two males get out of the Polo. One goes inside of the garage, which the men have used the Polo to break into by reversing into the shutters, causing them to break.’
Mr Hopkins said the group are seen to leave and return several times, stealing a total of four cars from the repair shop.
McMahon, who has convictions for 55 offences, took one of the Mercedes C class motors.
Mr Hopkins added: ‘The total value of the cars is £100,000.’
The court heard as well as the cost of the stolen cars, £600 damage was caused to CCTV cameras at the repair centre and £5,000 to the shutter doors.
All five of the stolen vehicles were recovered by the police.
Tony Cornberg, defending, said McMahon has never had a job wants to work, earn his own money and have a normal family life.
Mr Cornberg said McMahon has taken educational courses while in custody on remand.
