Gang charged with burglary May 2008. 

The gang alleged to have broken into an elderly widow's home in Chestnut Avenue on the 18th of August 2007 have been charged with more than 30 crimes in East Anglia including armed robberies in our neighbouring parishes of Nordelph & Upwell. Two men and a youth from Littleport and a man from Great Gidding have been remanded in custody pending a hearing at Norwich Crown Court on May 16th. 
The robbery here in Welney happened after the victim, who lived alone, had gone to bed. The three burglars broke in through the bathroom window and entered her bedroom. One, holding an axe, demanded money. Mrs F (not her real name) described the men as having Irish accents and wearing balaclavas. Apparently £500 was taken and a number of gold rings and jewellery. 
Following a further nine crimes between August 29th and Sept 24th, three members of the gang were arrested at their home in Littleport on Sept 26th. Another man was arrested in Welney on Sept 29th after a dramatic chase through flooded land just north of the A1101 after a blue car heading west failed to stop for Police and subsequently overturned. 
All four were later released on bail and after a six week lull it is alleged they committed another 18 crimes between Nov 1st and Feb 7th.  What happened from then until late April is unclear, but at two separate hearings at Kings Lynn Magistrates on 27th April and 1st May, the four men were remanded to appear together at the Crown Court.