The gang – Endrit Nikolli, 27, Kristian Gropcaj, 30, George Lleshaj, 31, Krisjian Dedndreaj, 28, and Sidorjan Lleshi, 26 – targeted large homes and mansions between December 2023 and July 2025, carrying out at least 44 meticulously planned break-ins. They often used ladders to access first-floor windows and balconies, ransacking properties before quickly selling stolen items for cash. Police estimate the total value of goods taken exceeds £1 million, though the vast majority remains unrecovered after being fenced.
Nikolli's British girlfriend, Jade Tubb, 33, played a supporting role by handling proceeds and booking vehicles used in the crimes. The couple exchanged letters referring to themselves as "Bonnie and Clyde," a nickname that has since been adopted by media to describe the group due to their flaunting of ill-gotten gains in hundreds of photos recovered by police, showing stacks of cash, luxury watches draped over hands, and designer handbags.
All six defendants appeared at Chester Crown Court, with guilty pleas entered on November 28, 2025, January 6, 2026, and January 7, 2026. The five men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to possess criminal property. Nikolli and Lleshi also admitted additional individual burglary counts related to incidents in Staffordshire. Tubb pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess criminal property. The men have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on February 20, 2026, while Tubb has been released on bail pending the same date.
The burglaries were distributed across several regions: nine in Derbyshire, eight in Cheshire, seven in Staffordshire, five in Nottinghamshire, two each in Cleveland, Leicestershire, and Warwickshire, and nine in West Mercia (covering areas including Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire). The gang set weekly targets for the amount of gold and high-value items they aimed to steal, demonstrating a high level of organisation.
The investigation, led by Cheshire Police with collaboration from forces including Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Nottinghamshire, began in October 2024 following a cluster of similar break-ins in eastern Cheshire. Detectives linked crimes through matching footwear impressions – often from inexpensive Primark trainers – left at scenes. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data tied a red Ford Focus insured to Gropcaj and a hire car booked by Tubb to multiple incidents.
Phone records placed the group together at a Birmingham Jewellery Quarter coffee shop, where they apparently planned operations. DNA evidence from a Staffordshire burglary matched Nikolli. Messages recovered included Google Maps links to potential targets.
Coordinated raids in Walsall, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, and later Surrey and Sheffield led to arrests. Searches uncovered 13 designer handbags, 14 watches valued at nearly £17,000, hundreds of photos of stolen goods, and the incriminating "Bonnie and Clyde" letters between Nikolli and Tubb.
Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Ryan McVeigh of Derbyshire Police praised the cross-force cooperation, stating the gang "caused misery for a lot of people across several counties." Detective Sergeant Laura Fox of Macclesfield Proactive CID described them as a "high-level organised crime gang" that "regularly gloated about their crimes and shared images of ill-gotten gains." She added: "All six defendants had no option but to plead guilty and are now facing the consequences of their actions."
The case highlights ongoing concerns about organised burglary rings targeting affluent rural and suburban areas, with victims often losing irreplaceable sentimental items alongside valuables. While some property has been returned, the rapid fencing of goods has limited recoveries.
Sentencing next month is expected to reflect the scale and impact of the spree, which affected dozens of families and strained police resources across regions.
