A GANG has been sentenced after a botched burglary saw cops swoop on them within minutes.

They had tried to break into a mobile phone shop on Waterloo Place in Sunderland at about 11.30pm on April 28.

CCTV cameras picked them up, police were called and they found bolt cutters at the scene.

Officers searched the area and arrested Jonathan Hughes, 35, Graham Liddle, 50, Grant McCormack, 35, and Kevin Marrs, 33.

They all denied attempted burglary but were convicted following a trial at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court on June 23.

Hughes, of Tadcaster Road, Sunderland, and Liddle, of Downham Court, South Shields, have been jailed for 18 weeks.

McCormack, of Ashfield Court, Sunderland, also admitted two further attempted burglaries in the city on June 5 and received a 38-week sentence suspended for one year.

Marrs, of Oxford Street, Sunderland, was handed an 18-week jail term which was also suspended for one year.

Following the hearing, Detective Constable Neil Swainston, of Northumbria Police, said: “The last few months have been an uncertain time for many business owners, some of whom will no doubt have been concerned about the security of their premises while in isolation.

“Nothing was stolen in this particular case, but officers got to the scene quickly and located vital evidence before searching the area and locating the four suspects.

“This case highlights how we are committed to acting quickly and decisively whenever suspicious behaviour is reported to us and some fantastic teamwork between officers allowed us to secure this swift conviction.

“We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and we will continue to put thieves before the courts.”