West Yorkshire Police searching for deadly firearms and a thousand bullets stolen in house burglary

Police are searching for guns and around a thousand rounds of live ammunition stolen by a gang of professional house burglars

Police have confirmed they are still looking for two weapons and around £4,500 worth of bullets and shotgun cartridges stolen in the raid.

West Yorkshire Police launched an appeal for information after Anthony Brown was jailed over the targeted burglary at the house in Gomersal in which seven firearms were stolen.

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The 28-year-old was locked up for six years and five months when he appeared before Leeds Crown Court.

Anthony Brown was locked up for six years and five months over the professional burglary in which firearms and ammunition were stolen from house in GomersalAnthony Brown was locked up for six years and five months over the professional burglary in which firearms and ammunition were stolen from house in Gomersal
Anthony Brown was locked up for six years and five months over the professional burglary in which firearms and ammunition were stolen from house in Gomersal

The court was told Brown, 28, and three other men broke into the property in the early hours of August 20 this year while the owners were away on holiday.

They removed glass door panels to get inside and stole £24,000 worth of valuables including jewellery and watches.

Bashir Ahmed, prosecuting, said the house was ransacked and the burglars came across a safe and a cabinet containing the guns and £4,500 worth of ammunition

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The owner had licences for the guns and ammunition which were being kept lawfully at the property.

The court was told the gang left but returned two days later and stole them.

CCTV footage was analysed and a Ford Focus in the area around the time of the first break-in was identified as a suspect vehicle.

The car was traced to an address in Bradford.

Further CCTV footage was found of four men getting into the vehicle shortly before the burglary took place and returning after it had been committed.

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Brown was then seen getting into a Ford Fiesta and driving away.

Inquiries over the Fiesta led police to Brown's partner's home.

Officers went to the address and found the gun cabinet, a safe and a gun silencer dumped at the back of the property.

Brown was also linked to the offences from mobile phone evidence.

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Mr Ahmed said five of the guns have been recovered but two of the "most lethal" weapons remain outstanding.

None of the ammunition has been recovered.

Brown, of Woodrow Drive, Bradford, pleaded guilty to burglary and seven offences of possession of a prohibited firearm.

He has previous convictions for violence and affray.

Andrew Stranex, mitigating, said Brown had a partner and a child and was motivated to put his offending behind him when he is released from custody.

Judge Christopher Batty told Brown: "Those who commit dwelling house burglaries and those who circulate firearms to be used in serious crime must expect significant custodial sentences."

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After the case, Det Chief Insp Fiona Gaffney of Kirklees CID, said: “We welcome the sentencing of Brown today and are continuing a number of enquiries into the theft of weapons from a property in the Gomersal area.

“Officers have recovered five of the seven weapons which were taken on that evening and have made a number of arrests in connection with the offence.

“Active enquiries remain ongoing regarding the outstanding ammunition and weapons.

“Firearms offences are taken extremely seriously by West Yorkshire Police and I want to assure residents that every effort is being made to trace the outstanding items.”