'Panicked' mum tried to hide stolen car keys in jogging bottoms waistband to cover car thief partner's tracks

A 'panicked' mum tried to hide stolen car keys in her jogging bottoms to cover her car thief partner's tracks.

Emma Simpson, 37, slipped the keys in her waistband as police searched her home after her partner Wayne Farrell carried out a spate of car burglaries.

During the search in Rochdale, officers also found a number of keys hidden in a child’s rucksack in the boot of a car parked outside.

Farrell was caught the day before in Sussex when police spotted him in a suspicious looking campervan.

Inside the van, officers found rubber Halloween masks, sledge hammers and false registration plates.

A court heard the 38-year-old broke into houses in Rochdale, Bury and Oldham whilst the homeowners were on holiday.

Farrell, along with Sean O’Sullivan, 47, smashed through patios and kitchen windows before ransacking the houses, stealing jewellery, cash and high value cars.

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Officers later went to Farrell’s home in Rochdale, which he shared with girlfriend Emma Simpson.

She initially denied any knowledge and tried to hide the keys in her waistband.

She later gave them a key to a car parked outside.

Simpson pleaded guilty to concealing criminal property.

Farrell and O’Sullivan were found guilty after a trial of conspiracy to burgle, and Farrell also pleaded guilty to offences of burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and handling stolen goods.

They were both jailed at Minshull Street Crown Court for a total of 15-and-a-half years.

Prosecuting, Andy Evans outlined the details of a number of different burglaries that had taken place.

“On January 22 2019, a couple were on holiday when the kitchen window was forced and the property, in Bury, was ransacked,