Two men sentenced in relation to conspiracy to commit burglary

Two men have been sentenced in relation to a conspiracy to commit a burglary in Salisbury.

John Wright, 42, and Ross Pinnock, 36, both from Bristol, appeared in Salisbury Crown Court on 24th August this year in relation to an incident that took place on 18th July 2020 on Netherhampton Road, Salisbury.

The men were seen acting suspiciously near Booker Wholesale and were spotted shortly afterwards in nearby fields by a member of staff.

They were then tracked by a PCSO utilising a drone.

Officers from the Salisbury community policing team were able to be quickly guided to the area where they located and arrested both in relation to this incident.

Both Wright and Pinnock denied any involvement or knowledge of the incident throughout the course of the investigation, however, their accounts changed multiple times.

Enquiries conducted disproved each account provided by them and enquiries involving DNA and phone calls and data proved their direct involvement and intentions.

Further to this, torches, gloves, balaclavas, cutting tools and a large disc cutter were found in a nearby van belonging to Wright.

Wright and Pinnock both entered a guilty plea on the day the trial was due to begin.

Wright was subsequently jailed for 13 and a half months and Pinnock for nine months.

DC Martyn Powell from South CID said, “On receipt of this report, officers were deployed and guided into the area by the reporting party and a PCSO who had located the suspects via their police drone.

“Wright and Pinnock were located near to Booker Wholesale and were arrested, preventing them from leaving the area and continuing their actions.

“Evidence from the enquiries conducted indicated their direct involvement and that they had just taken the first step in their plan to return later under the cover of darkness and break into the premises to steal.

“The decisive actions of the officers attending the scene laid the groundwork for a technical investigation involving multiple departments within Wiltshire Police.

“I hope that this court result acts as a deterrent to people thinking of coming to Salisbury to commit crime and helps to provide reassurance to local people that, where able, we will take action to prevent crime from occurring and pursue those responsible.”

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