Gang That Tried to Steal Declan Donnelly's Car Jailed

14 convicted after bungled attempt to remove a cash machine

Montage of the gang members convicted . Picture: Met Police

December 2, 2023

A gang of criminals who were responsible for a spate of thefts of high value cars have been jailed after a bungled attempt to steal a cash machine in Brentford led to all of them being identified.

The crew are believed to have stolen vehicles worth in total around £750,000 and in April 2021 made an unsuccessful attempt to take I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here host Declan Donnelly’s black Range Rover from outside his Chiswick home.

Four of the gang had been convicted back in 2022 of the attempted theft including 20-year-old Alfie Chandler from Hounslow and Tommy Hutchinson, also 20, from Feltham. Chandler admitted the attempted theft charge but Hutchison pleaded not guilty.

According to reports at the time Mr Donnelly was at home with his wife Ali Astall and their three year-old daughter. They were asleep at 12.40am when the attempt was made to take the car and only became aware of what had happened when police informed them the next morning that they believed that a gang of professional car thieves was responsible.

The gang had used tools to try and prise open the wrought iron gates at the front of the property but they failed to gain access. A neighbour saw what was happening and rang 999 and the intruders fled in another car.

They did do sufficient damage to require repairs to be made to the gates the following morning.

The gang were all eventually tracked down after an investigation by the Met's Flying Squad spanning several years.

On Thursday 6 February 2020, at around 12:17am, 31-year-old Ellis Glynne from Feltham, 24-year-old Connor Murray from Heston, 33-year-old James Brandford from Stanwell, 22-year-old Tyler Smallworth from Hounslow and 44-year-old Robert Green attempted to rip an ATM out of Glads Mini Market, a convenience store on London Road in Brentford.

Wearing balaclavas, they tied a rope to a white van in attempt to pull the machine out but the plan didn’t work and, during the failed attempt, the police arrived. The five men fled the scene in an Audi car but left the van along with a power tool they had also used to try and prise out the machine.

Police immediately initiated a forensic examination of the finds and this linked back to one of the men on the raid.

This in turn gave them access to detailed phone cell data which allowed them to identify the others involved. The gang had not taken their mobiles on the raid but had earlier used them to make contact with each other during the preparation of the burglary.

Further analysis of CCTV in the area showed the group travelling in the van and the Audi through Brentford that night.

As the investigation continued, it soon became apparent that the men were part of a larger group that was responsible for the theft of multiple high value vehicles in West London between January and July 2021. CCTV and footage from doorbells revealed that they employed high tech devices which used signals that duplicate a car key to carry out the thefts. During this time the stole 14 cars, all Range Rovers and BMWs.

A total of 14 men were arrested between July and October 2021 as part of this investigation and were charged with drug and driving related offences, conspiracy to commit burglary, and conspiracy to steal. Of the 14 men, 12 pleaded guilty and two others were found guilty during a number of court hearings at various stages.

Nine of the men were sentenced at Kingston Crown Court this Monday (27 November). Glynne was jailed for seven years, Murray received six and Brandford and Green got three years each having both pleaded not guilty.

The rest of the gang received sentences ranging from three years to suspended sentences.

Alfie Chandler was jailed for three years after being found guilty of riding a scrambler motor bike at a police officer in Eastbourne. Hutchinson was given two years.

Detective Sergeant William Man from the Met’s Flying Squad led the investigation and said, “These men thought they were above the law and believed they could get away with their crimes.

“They were extremely organised and determined but our team worked incredibly hard to identify all those involved and gather such compelling evidence against them that they had no choice but to plead guilty.

“I am pleased that justice has been served and that people in London can feel safer knowing that this group is no longer a threat.”