A twisted taxi driver who tipped off his criminal friends so they could burgle the homes of the people he picked up has been jailed for over four years.
Kasid Hussain, 27, told pals on at least 10 separate occasions when the properties belonging to his customers were empty so they could break in and ransack the empty houses.
Nottingham Crown Court heard the gang stole thousands of pounds worth of electrical items including TVs, DVD players, games consoles and jewellery before making off in the homeowner’s car.
Hussain and five of his associates – all from Nottingham – were jailed on Monday for almost 19 years in total after admitting burglary or conspiracy to commit burglary offences.
Detective Sergeant Paul Cash, of Nottinghamshire Police, who led the investigation into the case, said after the case: “Kasid Hussain was instrumental in providing information about his customers which enabled others to burgle their homes.
“It was an abuse of a position of trust, with unsuspecting fares chatting to him about their plans, not realising they were setting themselves up to become a victim of crime.
“We became involved after a victim reported an attempted burglary after nipping home in Hussain’s taxi to get money.
“The victim was convinced the taxi driver was involved and so we began an in-depth investigation which linked Hussain’s journeys to a spate of burglaries.
“We were then able to identify his associates.”
Hussain pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary between August 5 and October 10 last year and was jailed for 53 months.
Friend Nabeel Hussain, 26, admitted the same charge and was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
Ian Barnes, 21, and his brother Liam, 24, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and were jailed for 54 and 30 months respectively.
Cornelius Duggan, 23, and Gary Cooper, 26, admitted burglary and were sentenced to two years and 876 days respectively.
A sixth man James Ferebee, 39, also pleaded guilty to burglary and was given a six month prison sentence to be suspended for 18 months.
Ferebee was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
