AN ALADDIN'S Cave of stolen goods, including jewellery, watches and car keys, were recovered when police armed with search warrants raided the homes of two alleged burglary gang members, Southampton Crown Court heard.

The items had been taken along with more than 20 high performance cars valued at £500,000 when the gang targeted homes in Hampshire, it was alleged.

Prosecutor Rufus Taylor said properties in Eastleigh, Hedge End, Romsey and Southampton area had been specifically selected because they were fitted with UPVC front doors and had "posh" cars in the driveways.

Easily portable goods such as I-pads, laptops, mobile phones and handbags were taken along with the keys to the cars which were then driven off.

The burglaries were committed in clusters and the vehicles were driven up to the M3 to South East London where one of the gang lived.

Mr Taylor identified the principal burglar as Theo Smithard-Powell who with others used chisels, screwdrivers or other tools purchased together with his girl friend Ellis McMillan to "pop open" the doors while the unsuspecting house occupiers slept.

McMillan, said Mr Taylor, played an administrative role, sorting out accommodation in Southampton and by booking taxis with a succession of aliases.

The stolen cars were fitted with cloned registration plates after the gang had studied vehicles on Auto Trader websites looking for vehicles similar in size and age.

They were then driven to South East London where another gang member Dale Ward lived and was responsible for their onward distribution.

As an example, he cited the case of one loser Timothy Wood who returned to his West End home in his £9,500 Mercedes and went to bed at about 11pm.

He locked his car but the following day discovered it was missing along with the keys and a sports bag.

The Mercedes was fitted with the dud plates and number plate recognition confirmed it had been driven up the M3.

Cell site analysis of Smithard-Powell's phone matched its journey to London, showing there was phone contact with Ward.

Mr Taylor told the jury of six men and six women how one stolen Mercedes was abandoned after it crashed into a farmer's barn in Surrey following a police chase, and how a mother and son both had their cars stolen the same night.

On another occasion, a woman sitting downstairs hid behind a downstairs door when she was being burgled and then shouted at Smithard-Powell.

He was "so petrified" that when he ran out of the house in Southampton he fell over and stabbed himself with a chisel.

The trio were arrested after police executed search warrants and found an "Aladdin's Cave" of stolen goods at the home of Smithard-Powell and McMillan in Southampton.

McMillan is charged with conspiracy to burgle, conspiracy to steal and handling stolen goods. Ward is charged with conspiracy to steal.

They have pleaded not guilty.

The jury was told that Smithard-Powell pleaded guilty to his involvement in both conspiracies and handling stolen goods.

Proceeding.