Attempted to break open iron gates at front of home
Ali Astall and Declan Donnelly. Picture: Facebook
Members of a gang of car thieves who targeted high value vehicles have admitted a string of offences including the attempted theft of Declan Donnelly’s car.
The four men who, police described as professional car thieves, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal cars between 1 January and 9 July this year.
One of the charges relates to 6 April when they attempted to prise open the iron gates at the front of Mr Donnelly’s house in Chiswick to take his car at around 12:40am on 6 April. A neighbour saw what was happening and rang 999 but the gang had given up and left before the police arrived.
The 43-year-old TV presenter was reportedly at home with his wife Ali Astall and their young daughter but the family were unaware of what had happened until the police informed them the next morning.
29-year-old Ellis Glynne and Vinothkumar Ratnam, aged 37, both from Surrey and 29-year-old Connor Murray and 21-year-old Perry Ogle from Hounslow all admitted the charges this Wednesday (1 September) at Kingston Crown Court.
The four were among 12 men who have been charged with various offences relating to thefts of cars as well as an attempt to steal an ATM from a convenience store on two occasions last year.
Glynne and Murray have been remanded in custody whilst the others are released on bail pending a further hearing.
The cases are to be tried on 4 January next year.
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September 2, 2021
