A RUTHLESS gang of thieves has been jailed for more for 20 years after carrying out 54 burglaries in a five-month spree across Somerset and Devon back in 2012.

The group of three men, Reg Soper, 50, his brother Percy, 56, and Nicky Christian, 24, who were convicted at Exeter Crown Court last week, smashed their way into business units, demolishing exterior walls with stolen fork lifts and leaving a trail of destruction across the two counties.

Soper and his brother Percy used their extensive knowledge of countryside back lanes to carry out raids.

They believed they were untouchable because they wore face masks, gloves and scouted their targets using night vision goggles and walkie talkies.

They never took their loot back to their base. Instead, they hid it in hedgerows to pick up later when the coast was clear.