A group of thieves who stole more than £4m of luxury cosmetics in a "well-planned burglary" have been sentenced.
Scott Franklyn, 31, of Roman Road, Batley, West Yorkshire, and Mark Ross, 33, who is currently serving a life sentence in HMP Sutton for a separate offence, were charged with commercial theft from a warehouse in Imperial Court, Magellan Close, Andover, stealing cosmetics from Harper Grace International.
Meanwhile, Roxy Walker, 32, of Windsor Gardens, Dewsbury, also in West Yorkshire, was charged with possessing stolen goods.
All three initially pleaded not guilty, before changing their pleas before trial.
Appearing at Winchester Crown Court on Friday, May 22, the court heard how Franklyn and Ross, along with a third person who was not named, broke into the warehouse in Andover between January 1 and January 2, 2024.
Speaking for the Crown, Steven Molloy said that the group used power tools to break into the warehouse, disable security cameras and steal £4.4m worth of luxury cosmetic goods from the site.
He added: "The products have batch numbers and are traceable that way, but only a few hundred pounds worth has been recovered."
Mr Molloy said that Franklyn and Ross were identified by call logs, while Walker had been identified after trying to sell some of the goods on the pre-owned goods website Vinted.
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The prosecutor said that all the defendants answered no comment when initially arrested by police.
He continued: "The Crown submits there was a significant degree of harm. The theft of £4.4m worth of goods was substantial."
Speaking in mitigation for Walker and Franklyn, Syam Soni said that they would both be severely impacted by an immediate custodial sentence.
He argued that Franklyn has "good prospects for the future", and looks after his mother and has parental responsibilities.
Mr Soni added: "Bearing all that in mind, and the fact that he has been moving on with his life and putting the past behind him."
He also argued that Walker is "of good character", that possessing the goods "was her one offence", and that she "had no knowledge of the providence of those items".
Lee Fish, mitigating for Ross, submitted no further evidence.
Judge Adam Feest sentenced Ross to 29 months' imprisonment, running concurrently with his life sentence.
Franklyn was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and must complete 20 days' worth of rehabilitation activity.
He must also obey a six-month curfew between the hours of 7pm to 7am, which will be electronically monitored.
Walker must pay a £500 fine, which will be paid at a rate of £100 per month from June 30.
If she does not pay, she will be imprisoned for 14 days.
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