Five jailed after £785,000 Lincolnshire crime spree involving theft of RNLI quad bikes

Five members of an organised crime group responsible for a £785,000 burglary and theft spree across Lincolnshire have been jailed, including for an operation which saw three brand-new RNLI quad bikes stolen from a facility near Skegness.

The men were sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday, 11 September, following a major investigation by Lincolnshire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit.

Police linked the group to 13 burglaries and three thefts targeting farms, rural businesses, charities and other premises across the county, with machinery, vehicles and equipment worth a total of £785,042.07 stolen.

Among the offences was the theft of three quad bikes belonging to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) from a facility in Burgh Le Marsh in May 2023.

Gang followed RNLI quad bikes before stealing them

The police investigation revealed the RNLI theft was not opportunistic.

Officers found that members of the group noticed three newly purchased RNLI quad bikes while they were being transported through Lincolnshire.

They then followed the delivery vehicle to discover where the machines were going to be stored.

According to Lincolnshire Police, CCTV and mobile phone evidence subsequently showed the location being monitored before members of the group returned during the night.

The offenders forced their way into the compound and storage unit before stealing all three quad bikes.

The vehicles had been purchased by the RNLI to support its lifesaving operations along the Lincolnshire coastline.

Investigators were later able to link members of the group to the burglary using CCTV footage, mobile phone location data, forensic evidence and videos recovered from seized devices.

Five men sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court

All five defendants sentenced on Friday had pleaded guilty to offences connected to the investigation.

Zamuel Mallinson, 35, of Drigh Road, Brookenby, was sentenced to six years and two months in prison.

Benjamin Barnes, 40, of Priority Crescent, Scunthorpe, was sentenced to four years and four months.

Richard Rowles, 35, of Edinburgh Road, Brookenby, received a sentence of three years and three months.

Jordan Howard, 29, of Dale View, Grimsby, was sentenced to two years and one month.

Ryan Mumby, 32, of Kingsley Grove, Nunsthorpe, was sentenced to three years in prison.

Their sentences amount to a combined 18 years and 10 months.

A sixth man, Jolon Mallinson, 30, of Orford Close, Brookenby, has also pleaded guilty to three offences and will be sentenced at a later date.

Investigation uncovered wider organised crime operation

The wider investigation began after Zamuel Mallinson was arrested in connection with three significant offences, one of which involved the stolen RNLI quad bikes.

Initially, the incidents were being investigated separately.

However, officers began identifying possible links between the offences and Lincolnshire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit took control of the investigation.

A major breakthrough came when officers examined three mobile phones seized from Mallinson.

Police carried out forensic analysis of the devices and combined this with call records and mobile phone location data to identify connections between suspects and patterns in the group's offending.

Investigators eventually concluded that the group was operating in a highly organised and coordinated way, with Zamuel Mallinson and Benjamin Barnes identified by police as leading figures.

The offenders frequently used older 4x4 vehicles fitted with cloned registration plates and carried out significant planning before committing burglaries.

Offences would typically take place during the night, with those involved wearing gloves, heavy clothing and face coverings in an attempt to conceal their identities.

Working alongside the Crown Prosecution Service's Complex Case Unit, police eventually assembled evidence relating to a larger number of suspected offences.

Prosecutors ultimately proceeded with 13 burglaries and three thefts which police said provided the strongest overall evidential case.

Police: theft showed 'complete disregard for others'

Detective Sergeant Adam Petty, of Lincolnshire Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, described the group as sophisticated and highly organised.

He said the offenders had caused significant harm to rural communities, leaving farms, businesses, charities and individuals facing substantial financial losses and disruption.

Speaking specifically about the burglary near Skegness, DS Petty said the theft of the RNLI quad bikes demonstrated the group's "complete disregard for others".

He added that the vehicles had been bought to support an organisation dedicated to saving lives on the Lincolnshire coast but had instead been targeted purely for financial gain.

The investigation involved extensive examination of mobile phone records, CCTV, forensic evidence and intelligence gathered from a number of sources.

Police said the evidence eventually provided a clear picture of the group's activities and resulted in each of the defendants pleading guilty.

DS Petty also thanked the victims who supported officers throughout what he described as a lengthy investigation.

The sentencing brings a significant Lincolnshire Police investigation into organised rural crime towards its conclusion, although Jolon Mallinson is still due to be sentenced at a later date.