Thug jailed for Tameside-linked string of burglaries

A ‘RINGLEADER’ of a ‘semi-professional’ robbery gang has been jailed for more than 14 years after a string of offences, including a number with Tameside links. 

Kyle Camp bragged about the vehicles he had stolen with another member of a gang.

But after admitting three counts of burglary, six counts of theft, six counts of robbery, and two counts of handling stolen goods, he has been told he would serve a minimum of two thirds of his 14 year four month sentence in prison.

Camp and his gang that targeted innocent people as they slept, had just arrived home from work and as they prayed.

Kyle Camp

Over a period of time, he and his teenage acquaintances went on what was described as ‘a ruthless spree of offending.’

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesperson said: “Often stealing several cars in one night.

“Approaching several victims, they threatened them with violence if they didn’t hand over their car keys, often armed with knives or tools.”

On Monday, May 23, 2022, Camp entered an address on Repton Avenue in Droylsden after drilling the lock on the back door.

A grey Volkswagen Golf and keys to a white Volkswagen Transporter were stolen from the address.

A video from Camp’s phone, which was recovered on his arrest, showed the rear of the stolen Golf, with his phone connecting to the cell mast in the area of the offence at the time it was committed.

On Monday, July 4 on Turner Street in Denton, a female victim arrived home when she was approached by a group of males who demanded the keys to her car.

As they left the scene they collided with another vehicle. Text messages revealed the males laughing about this incident saying, ‘I got blocked in lol,’ and, ‘Had to ram em.’

Two days later, on Carpenters Walk, Droylsden, Camp and his associates broke into a house to steal the keys of a BMW X4 M-Sport.

In the early hours of that morning, Camp took a video of the car and sent it to people on social media.

He was also linked with offences linked with Saddleworth, Chadderton, Rochdale and Middleton.

Following an intricate investigation, codenamed Operation Napoleon, Camp became the ninth person to be sentenced over the crimes on Friday, January 24.

Through the original investigation, detectives soon identified Camp as being involved. An image from one of the original defendants’ phone showed the car they had stolen, taken during what seemed to be a reconnaissance.

When he was arrested in October 2022, a download of his phone showed him communicating with Camp, with the 30-year-old bragging about the cars he’d stolen.

He was arrested at 11:30pm on July 12, 2023, and despite answering ‘no comment’ to every question and originally pleading not guilty, he was locked up.

Jailing him at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: “This was semi-professional.

“You are as responsible as those who armed themselves. You had no regard as offences were committed in broad daylight in front of many witnesses.”

Detective Constable Chris Chinnery, from GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group, said: “Kyle Camp’s crimes not only had significant financial implications for our victims, but most distressing, they had huge emotional impacts on victims who were either violently assaulted or threatened with weapons by Camp.

“One man was left feeling so unsafe that he felt he had no choice but to move to a different part of the country.

“This case included hours of meticulous searching through mobile phone evidence, tracing messages involving numerous people, across multiple phones and social media channels as deals were done and Camp bragged about his stolen cars, showing complete disregard the victims.”