Burglar, 24, who stole more than £800,000 worth of luxury cars and valuables in an ‘astonishing’ six-month crime spree is jailed for six years
- Dale Melia stole cars, jewellery, cash and electronics across four counties
- Melia, from Coventry stole 19 high-performance cars in just six-months
- He was finally arrested after forensic teams linked him to a string of break-ins
Dale Melia (pictured above) stole 19 high performance cars
A burglar who stole more than £800,000 worth of luxury cars and valuables has been jailed for six years.
Dale Melia carried out and ‘astonishing’ six-month crime spree which included a string of break-ins across four counties.
The 24-year-old from Coventry also stole 19 high-performance cars including BMW and Mercedes models.
Between October 2018 and March this year he raided properties in the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire. His loot consisted of cash, electronics, jewellery and cars.
On March 27 he was finally arrested after forensic teams linked him to a string of break-ins.
He was jailed on Friday 24 May for six-and-a-half years, admitting a string of burglaries at Warwick Crown Court.
Melia pleaded guilty to 28 counts of burglary, six counts of theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of attempted burglary, one count of driving while disqualified and one count of driving without insurance.
Detective Constable Tim O’Mahoney, of Warwickshire Police, said: ‘The scale of Melia’s offending was astonishing and there is no doubt our communities are safer with him in prison.
‘Following a thorough investigation and support from the public Melia’s crimes finally caught up with him and he is now behind bars facing the consequences of his actions.’
Melia’s one-man crime spree spanning four UK counties
Dale Melia embarked on a six-month crime spree across the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire. He we detail where and when his crimes took place.
October 16: Burglary in Sharnford, Leicestershire. Stole a car
October 18: Burglary in Sharnford. Stole a car
November 1: Burglary in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Stole jewellery, cash and a car
November 2: Burglary in Whitestone, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Stole a car and computer
November 17: Burglary in Milverton, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
November 19: Burglary in Southam, Warwickshire. Stole a car
November 20: Burglary in Heathcote, Warwick. Stole jewellery, cash and electronics
December 6: Burglary in Collycroft, Bedworth, Warwickshire. Stole a watch and car
December 7: Attempted burglary in St Nicholas Park, Nuneaton
December 19: Burglary in Sydenham, Leamington Spa. Stole a car, computer equipment and a watch
December 22: Burglary near Warwick. Stole a car
January 7: Burglary in Hatton, Warwickshire. Stole a car
January 8: Burglary in Sharnford. Stole a car, jewellery, sunglasses and cash
January 18: Burglary in Sharnford
January 26: Burglary in Cawston, Rugby, Warwickshire. Stole a car key
February 18: Burglary in Hinckley, Leicesterhshire. Stole a car
February 25: Burglary in Burbage, Leicestershire. Stole a car, jewellery, watches, cash and electrical equipment
February 26: Theft of a motor vehicle in Rugby
February 26: Burglary in Knowle, West Midlands. Stole jewellery
March 4: Burglary in Cosby, Leicestershire. Stole a car
March 8: Burglary in Sydenham, Leamington. Stole a car and jewellery
March 9: Burglary in Whetstone, Leics. Stole a car
March 13: Burglary in Bulkington, Warwickshire. Stole a car
March 14: Burglary in Ash Green, Warkwickshire. Stole a watch
March 14: Burglary in Knowle. Stole jewellery
March 14: Burglary in Dorridge, Warwickshire
March 18: Theft of a car from Ullesthorpe, Leicestershire
March 18: Attempted burglary in Lutterworth, Leicestershire
March 25: Burglary in Ullesthorpe. Stole a car, cash, a watch and sunglasses
March 26: Burglary in Hatton. Stole jewellery and clothes
March 26: Burglary in Hatton. Stole a car and jewellery
March 27: Burglary in Kenilworth, Warwickshire
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