A RUTHLESS gang of thieves has been jailed after carrying out 54 burglaries in a five-month spree across Somerset and Devon back in 2012.

Ringleader Reg Soper, 50, of Culmhead, Taunton, splashed out on exotic holidays to Jamaica and Mexico, despite having no income or claiming benefits.

The group of three men, who were convicted at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday, smashed their way into business units, demolishing exterior walls with stolen fork lifts and leaving a trail of destruction across the two counties.

Soper and his brother, Percy, 56, used their extensive knowledge of back lanes in Devon to carry out raids.

They believed they were untouchable because they wore face masks, gloves and scouted their targets using night vision goggles and walkie talkies.

They never took their loot back to their base but hid it in hedgerows to pick it up when the coast was clear.

Reg Soper and Nicky Christian, 24, of Alfred Street, Plymouth, started the crime spree with seven raids of jewellery and antiques shops, including one in Dunster.

Percy joined in as they switched their targets to small trading estates in remote rural areas, using extreme violence to break in.

Stolen cars were used in many of the raids before being dumped and burned to destroy evidence.

Police trapped them following a six-month investigation, after stumbling across a safe which had been stolen in a raid at Ivybridge, South Devon.

They replaced it with a dummy safe fitted with a camera and caught Percy Soper as he returned to fetch it.

They then tracked his brother as he came to meet him.

The total value of the goods stolen was over £180,000, with more than £57,000 worth of criminal damage caused.

Percy Soper was eventually caught red-handed during a raid on a garage in Taunton where he gave his name to police as Donald Duck.

The men all denied conspiracy to burgle during the month-long trial but were convicted.

Reginald Soper was jailed for eight-and-a-half years, while Percy Soper and Christian were both jailed for six-and-a-half-years.

A fourth defendant, Danny Small, 24, of Ward Place, Plymouth, originally charged with both burglary conspiracies, was acquitted.

Judge Phillip Wassall said: “The common features of this conspiracy were the violent and destructive methods used to enter and the amount of damage caused, and safes being removed by extreme means.

“These were crimes committed on a professional scale. They were highly organised and planned.

“The amount of violence used to gain entry makes them more akin to robbery because of their impact on local communities.”

Detective Inspector Jim Tarr, senior investigating officer, added: “This case involved significant conspiracies to commit burglaries and steal, amounting to 54 recorded offences.

“The determined, prolific and ruthless gang initially targeted jewellery shops in rural locations.”