CCTV shows gang stealing life-saving fire station gear

Twin brothers and a third man have been jailed after a burglary spree which included ripping cash machines out of supermarkets and stealing emergency cutting equipment from fire stations.

Carl and Lee Kettle, 40, and 45-year-old Barry Dillon - all from Liverpool- stole cash machines all over Merseyside, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire.

Merseyside Police said the gang caused "considerable damage" to buildings during the crime spree.

The Kettle twins were each jailed for six years and eight months, while Dillon was jailed for three years and eight months, at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting conspiracies to commit burglary and theft.

The group was caught after an 18-month investigation into the burglaries, which included five fire stations in Merseyside and Cheshire.

The offences took place between January 2020 and April 2025.

Senior investigating officer David Brunskill, who led the investigation, said: "This meant the supermarket not only losing thousands of pounds of money but also costly repairs to the building and replacing the cash machines.

"They also stole emergency cutting equipment from fire stations which are used in critical incidents to save people' lives."

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Fire Officer Ged Sheridan added: "Stealing emergency service equipment from fire stations risks preventing firefighters from helping someone in a life-threatening situation."

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