THE GAZETTE is finally able to reveal the identities of the five men Basingstoke police say were some of the worst burglars in the town.

The number of burglaries dropped dramatically when police arrested the five heroin addicts in the summer of 2003.

Since August 2003, The Gazette has published how Jay Bishop, Thomas O'Leary and Kasey Rolfe have all been jailed for their crimes.

And on Friday, November 17, 2003, they were joined in prison by 27-year-old Michael Dorkin, of no fixed abode.

On the same day, the final culprit, Michael Denham, 24, of Dankworth Road, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, was ordered to clean up his act or face a long sentence.

Between them, the five have admitted more than 90 house burglaries and 17 attempted burglaries, and Rolfe also pleaded guilty to trying to strangle a police officer in an attempt to escape from Basingstoke police cells.

Basingstoke's burglary team was set up in the spring of 2003 in response to the plague of burglaries - reaching around 25 a week - and soon had intelligence about the five main offenders.

Detective Sergeant Mark Bramah, who leads the burglary team, told The Gazette: "At the time, a number of individuals were out of control in the number of crimes they were committing.

"We had a series of burglaries being committed at night and a series being committed during the day, and they were entering the houses through doors or windows being left unlocked, or by forcing their way in.

"The property that was stolen varied from personal and sentimental items, such as jewellery, to electrical goods like DVDs and other items."

He added that burglary is an awful crime because "it often leaves the victims feeling violated, and it's not uncommon for them to want to move as a result".

The police rounded up the five into custody, where they soon discovered that the burglaries were being committed to feed their heroin addictions, and were keen to keep them locked away to protect the public.

Superintendent Paul Netherton even stepped in to ask the Crown Prosecution Service to challenge the magistrates when they decided to allow Dorkin bail. A crown court judge agreed to put him in custody, and all five were locked up until they were sentenced - to a combined total of 14 years and nine months for all but Denham, who was given a 12-month drug treatment and testing order.

Det Sgt Bramah said: "The fact that people had chosen to become drug addicts was not accepted as an excuse by the courts. It's further evidence of what a scourge on society heroin and crack is.

"Anyone who is released from court on a drug treatment and testing order had better comply with that order, because they have been given another chance."

The number of burglaries has stayed low since the five were remanded, but Det Sgt Bramah said: "Although there are now relatively few burglaries, they are still unacceptable and we are striving to stamp these out.

"We have also targeted, and will continue to target, people who assist these offenders by receiving the stolen goods. Any shops, second-hand dealers, or anyone else found in possession of stolen property will be dealt with robustly."

The burglary team is continuing to appeal for anyone with any information about burglars or people receiving stolen property to contact them on the Gazette-backed burglary hotline, 0779 2416786, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

As Michael Denham was not jailed, Basingstoke police did not supply The Gazette with a copy of his picture.