Three men have been sentenced following a meticulous investigation into a series of burglaries spanning over three months in 2024. Joshua Charles Heal, Ethan Paul Sharman, and Andrew Sharman were linked to more than 30 burglaries targeting homes and businesses across Somerset and Devon from August to November 2024.
On November 15, the trio was arrested, and police executed search warrants at properties in Street, Bridgwater, and Somerton. Authorities recovered hundreds of suspected stolen items, including antique silverware, paintings, furniture, weapons, power tools, garden machinery, and electrical equipment.
Joshua Charles Heal, 25, of Bridgwater, and Ethan Paul Sharman, 21, of Somerton, admitted to conspiring to commit multiple burglaries with the intent to steal. At Bristol Crown Court on October 31, Heal was sentenced to nine years and three months in prison, while Sharman received a six-year and eight-month sentence.
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Judge Hart described the offenders’ actions as a relentless series of crimes causing lasting distress to the victims and significant damage to their properties.
Andrew Sharman, 44, of Street, previously pled guilty to intentionally encouraging or assisting in burglary. He provided Heal and Sharman with storage premises for stolen goods and facilitated their crimes by supplying a hired vehicle used during the offences. After a vehicle crash following one burglary, he transported Ethan Sharman away from the scene. Andrew Sharman was sentenced to 26 months in prison on June 5, 2025.
Lead investigator PC Mark Owen praised the dedicated police team for their thorough work, which involved compiling an online gallery of recovered items and conducting in-person viewings to facilitate the return of stolen property. Many victims were reunited with irreplaceable items such as jewellery, watches, coins, decorative china, clocks, and silverware.
PC Owen emphasized the emotional impact of burglary, especially when sentimental possessions are taken, and expressed hope that the sentences provide some closure for the victims. He also advised the public to photograph valuables as proof of ownership, a crucial step in aiding police investigations.