Albanian migrant gang moved to Britain in search of a 'better life'...then carried out £1m UK-wide crime spree targeting wealthy homeowners
The five men targeted wealthy householders during a string of 44 late night burglaries, with officers recovering 13 designer handbags and 14 luxury watches worth almost £17,000.
An Albanian gang has admitted carrying out a spate of £1million raids on mansions across the UK, including those in the millionaire village of Prestbury, Cheshire - home to numerous Premier League footballers.
The five men targeted wealthy householders during a string of 44 late night burglaries, with officers recovering 13 designer handbags and 14 luxury watches worth almost £17,000.
Other photographs released by Cheshire police show scales topped with gold jewellery and giant wads of banknotes.
One of the gang started a relationship with a British woman and began swapping messages with her saying they were like the US outlaws Bonnie and Clyde.
Endrit Nikolli, 27, George Lleshaj, 31, Krisjian Dedndreaj, 28, who live together in Walsall, all pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to possess criminal property, during separate hearings at Chester Crown Court.
Fellow gang members Kristian Gropcaj, 30, of Birmingham, and Sidorjan Lleshi, 26, of Sheffield, South Yorks, also pleaded guilty to the same two offences.
Nickolli's girlfriend Jade Tubb, aged 33, of Walsall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess criminal property.
Police who trapped the gang following a huge ten-month investigation recovered a picture of one of the burglars defiantly posing with wads of cash and holding some of the stolen watches.
Albanian gang members (l-r) Endrit Nikolli, 27, George Lleshaj, 31, Krisjian Dedndreaj, 28, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to possess criminal property, during separate hearings at Chester Crown Court
Fellow gang members (l-r) Kristian Gropcaj, 30, and Sidorjan Lleshi, 26, pleaded guilty to the same offences - all five men are due to be sentenced in Febuary
The burglary gang's loot included an array of stolen luxury watches from the mansions they plundered. Pictured: Sidorjan Lleshi brandishing a large number of the timepieces
Other photos showed two gang members, wearing hoods, hats and mask to cover their faces, posing with a stolen safe and a giant sledgehammer.
The five Albanians had emigrated to the British mainland despite some of them apparently leading affluent lifestyles in their native country.
Social media shots have emerged of them enjoying a party lifestyle in Albania.
One member posted images of sightseeing trips to Monte Carlo, Paris and Milan while another showed off standing beside a silver Mercedes and boasting: 'My car.'
In one exchange Kristian Gropcaj, 30, posted: 'Yes life is terrible' to which 31-year old George Lleshaj responded: 'The free jam has gone viral - I'm so happy.'
Police said the investigation against the gang began in October 2024 when detectives in Macclesfield became aware of a series of burglaries with similar modus operandi taking place across Cheshire.