A MASKED gang of thieves who raided a phone shop in a botched burglary bid have all been spared jail.

After bungling a burglary in Banbury, police caught up with them while they were in the process of trying their luck at another phone shop in Witney.

Arresting officers found on them a stash of equipment to be used in the theft, including a sledgehammer, chisel, balaclavas and a duvet.

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Four men were due to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after admitting burglary with intent to steal and going equipped for burglary.

One of the gang - Adam Aiken, 33, of Kingsbury, Tamworth, failed to turn up and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The rest were all sentenced for their role - Matthew Best, 31, of Torridge, Tamworth, John Deeney, 36, of Adrians Close, Atherstone, and Ashley Wheeler, 36, of Sorrel, Tamworth.

Outlining the case prosecutor Giles Morrison said the burglary took place in the early hours of September 3 2018.

Shortly before 2am the gang went to the EE phone store at Banbury's Gateway Retail Park.

As they broke in the burglar alarm was activated and the men were not able to steal anything from inside.

The front door had been smashed at a cost of some £800 in the botched effort to steal items.

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After they fled their car was next spotted in Witney where the men had gone to another EE store in the town.

Masked in balaclavas they appeared to go to break in to the store but were stopped by police and they were all arrested.

Police found various items for use in the burglary, including a sledgehammer, crowbar, a black chisel, screwdriver, a duvet and 'improvised face masks.'

Mr Morrison said the men were caught 'red-handed.'

In mitigation defence barristers said that all three of their clients had made efforts to turn their lives around in the two years since the offence.

Sentencing, Judge Maria Lamb said: "It was not for the want of trying that you didn't get away with a considerable amount of property.

"A great deal of damage was done to the premises.

"It was not a matter of impulse, it was not spontaneous. It was planned.

"You were a group and it seems to me that these premises were deliberately targeted."

Best was handed a 24-month community order to include 11 rehabilitation days and 240 hours of unpaid work.

Deeney was given a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years and must complete 20 rehabilitation days and 240 hours unpaid work.

Wheeler was made subject to an 18-month community order to include 10 rehabilitation days and 160 hours unpaid work.

They must each pay back £200 compensation to EE and a victim surcharge.