Four suspects have been charged after high-value burglaries - including in the Ponteland area

A specialist team from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), supported by Northumbria Police, began investigating and linked three burglaries that happened between January and April.

The operation also received collaborative support from Staffordshire Police, West Midlands Police and the Opal national intelligence unit.

A burglary to a home on Middle Drive in Darras Hall on April 4 saw cash being stolen, along with a car that was recovered abandoned close by.

In another burglary to a home on Clayton Road in Jesmond on March 31, the cash, designer wear and jewellery that was stolen was worth more than £1million.

Another burglary to a home on Woodlands Grove in Sunderland saw cash, designer wear and jewellery stolen that was worth more than £100,000.

After carefully gathering evidence and weeks of planning, officers were able to co-ordinate a strike on the group of suspects, aged 42, 31, 27 and 23, and arrested them on Friday (April 12) in the West Midlands area, with the support of officers from West Midlands and Staffordshire Police.

The sting also resulted in vehicles being seized and some of the stolen property being recovered, with on-going investigations to recover the rest.

Three men and a woman, who are Croatian nationals who had recently travelled to the UK, were subsequently charged with three burglary dwelling offences and were due to appear before Bedlington Magistrates’ Court today (Monday).

The NEROCU lead, Detective Inspector Shaun Fordy, said: “This has been an outstanding display of partnership working and robust police work.”