A high-speed chase and police tracker dogs were involved in the capture of two raiders after they broke into a Tesco supermarket in Chelmsford.

A court heard how police officers were forced to chase Gerard Barry, 20, of Bean Avenue, Dagenham, and Ian O'Neill, 18, of Gascoine Road, Barking, for more than 20 miles and at speeds of up to 90mph.

The drama happened after the pair were disturbed while breaking into the Wood Street branch of the supermarket on April 12. They stole £1,600 from the takings.

The pair admitted carrying out the burglary on April 12. They also admitted a second charge of travelling in a stolen car.

Jenny Portway, prosecuting, told Chelmsford magistrates the men were disturbed by a section manager at the store.

He went to investigate noises and saw the men climbing through the broken window of a fire exit door.

They escaped in a white Nissan car, which was driven in the direction of the Army and Navy roundabout.

Police were called and began a high speed pursuit of the car. They chased the stolen Nissan for 24 miles, at speeds of around 90mph, but officers eventually lost the vehicle near the junction of the A12 and the A120 at Marks Tey.

A search of the area was carried out and found the car abandoned.

Police dogs were brought in to search nearby fields and eventually the two men were found, arrested and taken to Chelmsford Police Station.

The Nissan had been stolen in Barking a few hours previously but both men denied knowing this.

Ann Brett, mitigating, said O'Neill, in particular, was young and easily led astray. He was put on probation for one year and ordered to pay £50 towards costs.

Barry, who was given a three-month custodial sentence, was also sentenced for two offences of claiming benefits in a name other than his own. For this, he was given a further three-month sentence, to be served consecutively.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.