THREE men have been convicted of stealing £100,000’s worth of life saving equipment from 24 fire stations.

Jermaine Okakpu, 26, Jack Edwards, 20, and Luke Sixsmith-Hughes, 22 were found guilty of organising a crime spree that targeted fire stations in Redbridge, Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Newham, Haringey, Enfield, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham and Dartford, Kent.

The trio broke into the fire stations throughout August and September last year, stealing thermal imaging cameras, firemen’s uniforms and radios worth over £100,000.

The cameras are used by firemen to stop flames spreading and to identify people trapped inside burning buildings.

After an operation by the Met Police, Edwards, of Sark Walk, Docklands, and Sixsmith-Hughes, of Driffield Road, Tower Hamlets, were arrested in Silvertown, south east London, on September 15 2015.

They were found with one of the stolen cameras, which police believe was taken from Lewisham Fire Station that day.

Further investigations revealed the men had been involved in 24 burglaries across London and Kent.

They admitted conspiring to commit burglary in January this year and were jailed for three years on February 22.

Okakpu, of Evelyn Road, Docklands, was arrested on conspiracy charges on September 24 last year, admitting them at Basildon Crown Court on July 14.

He was spared jail today (August 26) and handed a two year suspended sentence and 150 hours of community service.

DS Robert Walls from Havering CID said: “Those involved showed a total disregard for the potential impact these losses could have had on the fire service's ability to respond to fires and other critical incidents

"I have no doubt that the quick detention of those involved and the effective partnership work between the police and fire service enabled us to secure the overwhelming evidence that left the men with no alternative than to admit their guilt."

London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson added: “This was life saving equipment that was stolen and its theft could potentially have had an impact on our ability to respond to Londoners in need of our help.

“I sincerely hope that the sentences handed down deter anyone else from attempting to break into our fire stations.”