Two men jailed following Cheshire East burglary series

Two men from Bolton who carried out a series of burglaries at high value homes across Cheshire East have been jailed for more than eight years.

Martin Maloney, aged 49, and Christopher Leigh, aged 45, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 26 April, where they were both sentenced to four-years-and-three months in prison. 

Maloney, of Dunoon Drive, Bolton, and Leigh, of Longfield Road, Bolton had both previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle.

During the hearing, the court heard how the pair were responsible for at least 21 burglaries in the Alderley Edge and Presbury areas of Cheshire, that were committed between September 2019 and April 2021.

All of the incidents involved high end detached homes that were in the process of being renovated.

On each occasion, the pair stole high value tools and luxury fixtures and fittings, which were being installed in the properties. 

The total value of the items stolen is believed to be around £120,000.

Detective Constable James Hewitt said: “Maloney and Leigh are both experienced offenders who thought they had discovered the perfect crime. 

“The pair would meet at a secret rendezvous point in Bolton where they would leave their mobile phones, before travelling down to Cheshire in a Chrysler Voyager to commit their crimes, making every effort to avoid any CCTV or ANPR cameras on the way.

“Once they had arrived in Cheshire they would target unoccupied homes which were under renovation, thinking they would minimise the risk of any witnesses or forensic evidence.  

“However, their downfall came thanks to the work of the burglary investigation team here at Macclesfield. On the evening of Tuesday 6 April 2021 we carried out an undercover operation to catch the pair in the act. 

“During the operation our team followed men from Bolton to an address on the outskirts of Cheshire where they carried out a burglary at a building site, before arresting them on the M60 as they travelled back to Bolton.

“Following subsequent searches at their homes we recovered some of the stolen items. Banking documents also showed that Maloney had deposited more than £14,000 of his ill-gotten gains into another bank account.

“As a result of all the evidence we gathered against the pair, we were able to bring them to justice.”

Detective Sergeant David Jarvis added: “This was an extremely complex investigation which involved a number of units from across the force.

“Maloney and Leigh were well aware of police tactics, and they thought that they had done enough to cover up their offences. 

“Thankfully, as a result of the dedication of the team at Macclesfield, the pair are now behind bars and being held accountable for their actions.

“I hope that the outcome of this case demonstrates to local residents how seriously we treat burglary, and also acts as a warning to others who are thinking about coming to Cheshire to commit crime.”