Bradford Crown Court heard how Luke Lanham, 23, was embroiled in a rampage with others last August after building a £ 1,000 drug debt from his cocaine addiction.
Prosecutor Chloe Hudson argued that the break-ins had “the mark of professionalism” as the targets were remote and in affluent areas.
Register to our daily newsletter
The i-newsletter cut through the noise
On August 8th last year, an Audi SQ5 vehicle was stolen outside an Ilkley home while the owners were on vacation, and three days later Lanham was caught refueling the vehicle on CCTV footage at a gas station in Menston.
Luke Lanham was jailed at Bradford Crown Court
Later that day, the car with “cloned” license plates on it was caught in a police chase in the Bradford area and Lanham and another man were seen running from the scene.
In another break-in, a Porsche Boxster, bought just eight weeks earlier for £ 42,000, was stolen from a house in Moortown, Leeds.
Miss Hudson said the Porsche was recovered using a tracker device, but the keys were later found in the Lanham-linked Audi.
In the trunk of Audi, the police also found a lot of jewelry of great sentimental value, which had been stolen during a break-in into a couple with a view of Otley Chevin.
Miss Hudson said the couple had lived there for more than 30 years and the stolen jewelry included a 22-carat engagement ring and wedding bands from the woman housekeeper’s late mother.
Lanham, without a permanent residence, was sentenced on August 6 after admitting handling of the stolen cars and jewelry.
He also admitted to an attempted break-in he’d committed in North Leeds when confronted by the housekeeper and escaped from the scene.
The court heard that Lanham had a criminal record for traffic offenses, including dangerous driving, and it also admitted two charges of driving without a license.
At the time of the crime last summer, he still had a driver’s license after his release after serving a 12-week prison sentence for driving a ban.
Lanham was arrested in late August last year when he was caught behind the wheel of a Citroen car in Apperley Bridge and has been in custody ever since.
Miss Hudson confirmed that Lanham had never had a full driver’s license.
Lanham’s Barrister Camille Morland said he had been addicted to cocaine for a number of years following multiple family berings.
She said he had built a large drug debt of £ 1,000 and he had been threatened.
Miss Morland said he was asked to help much more sophisticated offenders, and she admitted that it was group activity.
She said her client drove two high-quality vehicles at the behest of others, out of fear and a desire to repay a debt.
“He deeply regrets this insult,” she said. “It was a crazy time in every way.”
Arrest Lanham Today Recorder Taryn Turner said Lanham worked with others who were out of court.
“You are appearing before me for conviction for a range of crimes, all of which were committed during a crime wave or rampage last August,” she told Lanham.
Lanham was also banned from driving for a total of three years and nine months.
