FOUR ‘prolific’ Burnley criminals have been jailed after a major police operation targeting burglary and theft in East Lancashire.

Alfie Dunstan, 21, of St Johns Road, Geoffrey Blundell, 40, of Bar Street; Robert Fleming, 26, of Sefton Terrace and Brian Ormonde, 26, of Baker Street, have been jailed at Burnley Crown Court for a total of 54 months as a result of Operation Loreley.

During the operation, 35 people were charged with 178 offences and 524 items of property were seized, including high powered vehicles, electrical items, garden machinery, mobile phones and jewellery.

The total cost of the crimes is estimated to be more than £215,000.

Police also seized cannabis with a street value of around £7,000.

Alfie Dunstan was charged with handling stolen goods, burglary, theft, conspiracy to handle stolen goods and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

He had a previous suspended sentence activated and now faces two years and six months behind bars.

Geoffrey Blundell was jailed for 12 months for conspiracy to handle stolen goods, while Robert Fleming was jailed for eight months and Brian Ormonde for was jailed for four months, both for conspiracy to supply cannabis.

PC Melissa Kelly, of Burnley Police, said: “Operation Loreley focused on prolific burglars who targeted people’s homes, intent on stealing high value and personal property.

“The operation highlighted how close the link is between serious acquisitive crime and the use and supply of illegal drugs, particularly cannabis.

“It should be emphasised that people who supply such substances contribute to the chain of events which leads to people’s homes being targeted by burglars.”