Pair jailed for 'violent' house thefts in Coventry

Two men have been jailed for nine-and-a-half years each after two armed robberies in Coventry.

West Midlands Police said Matthew Tennant, 37, and Kevin Swigler, 40, targeted two houses in the city and threatened the occupants with weapons in August last year.

At the first property, they used a crowbar and hammer to force the homeowner to hand over his car keys, and at the second, a handgun to force their way in before stealing several items.

They were found guilty of aggravated burglary, robbery and theft from a motor vehicle and sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on Friday.

Police said they were arrested by firearms officers after a car chase with a suspected stolen vehicle ended in a dead-end street.

Officers found a handgun inside the car, and forensic tests later confirmed it was a modified BB gun made to look like a realistic firearm.

Detective Sergeant Jay Aston from West Midlands Police said the violence and intimidation shown was "truly shocking".

"These incidents will have been terrifying for all involved and targeting people in their own homes with a firearm is an act of utter cowardice."

Aston said no-one was seriously injured in either attack, but the psychological impact could not be underestimated.

"Violent crimes like this have no place on the streets of Coventry and we will continue to pursue anyone who thinks they can get away with this type of offending."

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