THREE men behind a spate of burglaries at Little Chef restaurants across the country have been jailed.
The thieves raided 56 restaurants during a three-month crime spree in 2009 and stole £29,000.
The Little Chef at Popham was burgled on August 15, with more than £1,000 being stolen.
The food bar hit the headlines after it was revamped by celebrity TV chef Heston Blumenthal.
John McDowell, 59, of Oakfields, Dorking, pleaded guilty to 56 charges of conspiracy to burgle at Winchester Crown Court in December last year,.
Ross McDowell, 30 of Cumbernauld Walk, Crawley, and Michael Hallett, 53, of Oakfields, Dorking, were found guilty by a jury following a trial in April.
Ross McDowell was sentenced to five years in prison, Michael Hallett to three and a half years and John McDowell to two years.
They were brought to justice following during Hampshire police-led Operation Sizzle.
Detective Constable Claire Nicholls said: “All three defendants were highly organised in their criminality and in targeting specific Little Chef premises over 14 different force areas.”
