FOUR men have been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison following a series of burglaries - including one at a bus depot in east Cleveland.

The four, from Manchester, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at Newcastle Crown Court after stealing more than £160,000 from banks and bus depots across England and Scotland.

Michael Rowlinson, 25, of no fixed abode, who was also convicted of dangerous driving, was sentenced to four years ten months.

Nathan Green, 32, of Sale Road, Wythenshaw, Manchester, was handed a prison sentence of five years nine months and David Bennett, 37, of Arbor Avenue, Burnage, Manchester, was sentenced to five years seven months, and was also convicted of producing cannabis.

David Murphy, 29, of Craven Road, Broadheath, Manchester, got a five year, four month jail sentence.

All four men were also issued with a Proceeds of Crime Order for £160,000 each.

The men were arrested as part of Operation Eagle, an investigation into a series of 21 cash point and bus depot burglaries involving a professional crime group from Manchester who travelled extensively to commit crime.

One of the robberies took place in Whickham, Gateshead, and another took place at the bus depot in Redcar, east Cleveland, prompting the North East Regional Specialist Operations Unit (NERSOU) to investigate.

Detective Superintendent Alan Veitch, head of NERSOU, said: “We will continue to target and bring to justice those involved in committing high value crime in our communities.

"The sentences applied accurately reflect the level of criminality and should serve to be a lesson to those who seek to travel and commit crime within the North-East.”