​Endrit Nikolli, 27, Kristian Gropcaj, 30, George Lleshaj, 31, Krisjian Dedndreaj, 28, and Sidorjan Lleshi, 26, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to possess criminal property, during hearings at Chester Crown Court on November 28, 2025 and January 6. Jade Tubb, aged 33, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess criminal property today (January 7). Nikolli and Lleshi also both admitted one additional count of burglary, in relation to two burglaries in Staffordshire in March 2024 and December 2023. The estimated total value of the items stolen is in excess of £1 million (Image: Cheshire Constabulary) The investigation against the gang began in October 2024 when detectives at Macclesfield Proactive CID became aware of a series of burglaries across the eastern area of Cheshire. It would eventually transpire that the group committed at least 44 burglaries across Cheshire, Cleveland, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Mercia. They struck in Hereford and Oswestry, with a total of nine offences in the policing region. They struck twice in one day in Hereford on January 31, 2025. They struck in Feckenham, Redditch, on January 15, 2025, three times, including twice in one day, in Barnt Green on February 1 and February 7 and twice in Astwood Bank on the same day on February 14. TOP: from L to R; Endrit Nikolli, George Lleshaj and Krisjian Dedndreaj. BOTTOM: L; Kristian Gropcaj and R; Sidorjan Lleshi (Image: Cheshire Constabulary) On each occasion, the gang would typically gain entry by using ladders to access first-floor windows and balconies, Cheshire Police said. Once inside, they would “ransack the properties”, stealing jewellery, designer handbags, watches and cash. Following collaboration between Derbyshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police and Staffordshire Police, detectives from Macclesfield were able to link the incidents in Cheshire to several others across the UK through footwear marks left at the scenes. Telephone checks were subsequently conducted on Gropcaj which revealed he had been in regular contact with Nikolli, Dedndreaj, and Lleshaj. Further enquiries revealed that the four men had been meeting on a regular basis at a coffee shop in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. In addition, officers were also able to establish that Tubb was in a relationship with Nikolli. During raids officers recovered 13 designer handbags, along with 14 watches worth almost £17,000 (Image: Cheshire Constabulary) On July 2, officers led a series of raids at addresses in Walsall, Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham, leading to the arrests of Nikolli, Lleshaj, Gropcaj and Tubb. During the raids, officers recovered 13 designer handbags, along with 14 watches worth almost £17,000. Several mobile phones were also recovered during the warrants and, during analysis, officers recovered hundreds of images of the stolen items, along wit