Five members of an organised crime group have been sentenced for a combined total of over 30 years for their roles in a large-scale burglary conspiracy that targeted homes across Greater Manchester and resulted in more than £500,000 worth of property being stolen.

– Officers found the group were responsible for a sustained series of residential burglaries, targeting affluent households and seeking high-value items including gold jewellery – particularly family gold – designer handbags and other valuable possessions.

– Files attached include seized images of the offenders posing with stolen cash, text messages sent to advertise the availability of stolen gold and CCTV from three properties which the offenders targeted.

At Manchester Crown Square Court on Friday 4 September 2026 the five men were sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to commit burglary across Salford, Bury and Trafford between January 2024 and May 2025.

Wayne Jones (18/12/2002) of Dunedin Drive, Salford, was sentenced to eight years in relation to five counts of burglary.
Luca Staines (03/04/2006) of HMP Forest Bank was sentenced to five years and four months in relation to 15 counts of burglary.
David Owen (12/10/2001) of no fixed abode, was sentenced to five years and four months in relation to nine counts of burglary.
Liam Dodds (02/02/1992) of Cheadle Avenue, Salford, was sentenced to six years and four months in relation to eight counts of burglary.
Rohan Brown (30/12/2003) of Riverside Way, Salford, was sentenced to five years and four months in relation to seven counts of burglary.
The investigation uncovered a highly organised operation, with offenders repeatedly using the same method to identify and target properties.

Officers found the group were responsible for a sustained series of residential burglaries, targeting affluent households and seeking high-value items including gold jewellery – particularly family gold – designer handbags and other valuable possessions.

Typically, masked offenders gained access to the rear of the property and forced entry through back doors and windows. Most offences occurred during daylight hours when occupants were believed to be away from home.

In one burglary, a child hid in a wardrobe while the offenders searched the room. In another incident, a child took refuge in a bathroom while suspects attempted to gain entry.

Investigators established that Luca Staines and David Owen played a significant role within the conspiracy, with Liam Dodds acting as the driver for a number of the offences. Evidence recovered from mobile phones linked him and his co-defendants to numerous offences.

Investigators identified evidence showing Wayne Jones received £14,000 following a burglary in which approximately £70,000 worth of family gold jewellery was stolen. Images recovered during the investigation also showed Owen and Jones posing with large amounts of cash.

In total, property worth more than £500,000 was stolen during the offending period.

July marked five years since we launched Operation Castle – GMP’s dedicated neighbourhood operation to tackle and reduce residential burglaries.

We were recording around 1,500 residential burglaries per calendar month before Operation Castle launched. We have since seen a consistent downward trend to around 650 per month by June 2026.

PC Isabella Parsons of our Salford Neighbourhood Crime Team said: “This was a highly organised and persistent burglary network that caused significant distress to dozens of families across Greater Manchester.

“The offenders deliberately targeted homes for financial gain and showed little regard for the impact their crimes would have on victims, including children and vulnerable residents who were present during some of the burglaries.

“The scale of this investigation has been considerable, involving extensive CCTV opportunities, forensic examinations, mobile phone downloads and financial enquiries.

“Since its creation in Greater Manchester, Operation Castle continues to deliver strong results. We are continually seeing justice for victims of burglaries across Greater Manchester, and this latest sentencing is an example of the outcomes our investigations can achieve.

“Thanks to the dedication of detectives and partner agencies, we have secured substantial sentencings and prevented further offending.

“We remain committed to supporting victims and continuing enquiries to identify and return recovered property wherever possible.”