A THIEF who stole a caravan worth nearly £23,000 from a Penrhyndeudraeth business has been jailed for four years.

Darren Paul Douglas, 35, of Heol Mabon, Wrexham, was involved in stealing three mobile homes from around north Wales along with other gang members.

One of those thefts was a caravan worth around £23,000 which was taken from Evans Caravans in Penrhyndeudraeth on 7 November.

Two other mobile homes were stolen from land at Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor and at Trelawnwyd in Flintshire.

Douglas was charged after being stopped driving on the A55 two days after the Penrhyndeudraeth theft. Analysis off his phone matched CCTV recordings of his car showed he was present when the theft took place.

Douglas pleaded guilty to the theft of three caravans, with a value of more than £30,000, at Caernarfon Crown Court on Monday, 15 February.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards said none of the stolen caravans had been recovered despite their registration and chassis numbers been given to the police.

Jailing Douglas for four years, Mr Recorder Peter Griffiths QC said: “You were part of a gang of criminals who had targeted caravans and spirited them away, they have completely gone.”

Following the case, Chief Inspector Mark Armstong said: “North Wales Police are pleased with the sentence handed down to Douglas.

“It was clear that he was part of a group of travelling criminals who had travelled to the Gwynedd area on a number of occasions to commit crime, believing that they could commit crime with impunity in our rural communities.

“Due to the hard work of local officers and our Priority Crime team, Douglas was identified and arrested, resulting in his appearance before the court today.

“The strength of this sentencing should send the message that travelling across north Wales to commit crime simply does not pay, and when caught the court will take a dim view of your activities.”