TWO car key burglars running a chop shop out of Redditch have each been locked up for four years and eight months.

Nathan Lumbard, 29, was identified after he was linked to a vehicle acting suspiciously in Henley-in-Arden in August.

Tracking data from the vehicle, which had been hired by Lumbard, linked him to several burglaries and attempted burglaries.

Further investigation linked Robert Craig Wood, 28, to the offences.

Police carried out raids at a business in the name of Lumbard in Weights Lane Business Park, Redditch, on September 10.

They discovered a number of car parts including some belonging to one of the stolen cars and a shotgun that had been stolen in a burglary in Henley in Arden in August.

Wood was arrested at his home the same day and Lumbard was arrested on September 17.

Tracking data from the hired vehicle, the offenders' mobile phones and road cameras placed them at the scene of the burglaries and attempted burglaries which occurred in areas around Stratford, Droitwich and Solihull.

The offences, which occurred over a three week period in August and September, saw a number of high value vehicles stolen, including Audis and BMWs.

Appearing at Warwickshire Crown Court on November 9 Wood, of Dawlish Road, and Lumbard, of Greaves Square, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle.

Wood admitted involvement in all 12 offences and Lumbard admitted involvement of 10 of them.

Another man arrested as part of the investigation, John O'Shaughnessy, 31, of Kenilworth House, Hollybank Road, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to possession of the shotgun seized during the raid and handling stolen goods. Appearing at Warwickshire Crown Court in October he was sentenced to five years in prison.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Karl Brennan from Warwickshire Police Offender Management Unit said: "The offenders targeted high value vehicles and I'm pleased the court has recognised the extent of their offending in giving them lengthy prison sentences."