WANTED Lee Brown & Kurtis Nelson

Two men who targeted several businesses in Ormskirk during a burglary spree have been jailed.

Lee Brown, 26, of Muirhead Avenue, Liverpool and Kurtis Nelson, 26, of Kemsley Road, Liverpool, were arrested in January after raiding a number of addresses across Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

Around 10pm on January 5, three men broke into the Costa coffee shop in Ormskirk before stealing a quantity of cash from the safe and making off from the scene in a white Audi, reported stolen from an address in Wigan in December.

The same offenders were later seen breaking into the Post House Bar in Orrell in the early hours of January 6, smashing a glass window and stealing £200 from a safe and till.

The group then returned to Ormskirk around 5.20am on January 6, breaking into Spit Roast restaurant and stealing cash before accessing the adjoining The Buck I’Th’ Vine, setting off an alarm.

Police arrived with one officer, who attempted to arrest two of the men, hit on the leg with a crow bar by Nelson. The officer attempted to arrest the offenders, with one making off on foot and Nelson jumping into the Audi, driven by Brown.

The Audi was pursued and traced to an address in Kirkby, Liverpool. Brown and Nelson were arrested with safe and till drawers from the Spit Roast and Post House Bar seized from inside the Audi.

Nelson and Brown were both charged with three burglary offences and an offence of handling stolen goods. Brown was also charged with driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop. Nelson was given a further charge for assault with intent to resist arrest.

Both pleaded guilty last month, with Brown jailed for 50 weeks and Nelson jailed for 38 weeks at Preston Crown Court yesterday (Monday, February 10).

Det Insp Steve Monk, of Lancashire Police, said: “Brown and Nelson are brazen and prolific offenders who went on a relentless crime spree targeting a number of addresses, including Ormskirk.

“Thanks to the quick actions of officers, the trio were found caught in the act. Unfortunately one of the offenders made off from the scene, but Nelson and Brown were pursued and later arrested in the Liverpool area.

“This was a great cross-border response with excellent work by all involved.

“The officer attacked by Nelson thankfully suffered minor injuries and soon returned to work.”