Ockham Burglars Jailed

Published on: 6 Dec, 2025
Updated on: 7 Dec, 2025

Spotted by the police, the burglars’ white van was driven dangerously to try and evade capture.

Three men have been sentenced at Guildford after pleading guilty to burglary from a house in Ockham.

On October 10, a homeowner returned home around 9.30pm to discover they had been burgled.

The homeowner had left their house early for work and returned to find that their gun safe, which contained an air rifle, and cash, had been taken.

Earlier that day at approximately 5pm, officers were on New Haw Road in Addlestone when they noticed a white Ford Transit van drive through a red light, which was marked for outstanding offences in the Met. The officers indicated for the van to stop and pull over, but the driver did not, so officers followed in pursuit.

Three men were inside the van, which was driven dangerously through Chertsey and Lyne. The men decamped and abandoned the van at Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water.

National Police Air Service (NPAS) and Dog Units were deployed and with the help of thermal imaging from NPAS, the three men were found hiding in the undergrowth a short distance from where they had abandoned the van.

The three sentenced men.

Charlie Stewart, the driver of the vehicle had no driver’s licence, Ben Belhaj-Farhat was found in possession of cannabis, Junior Suban had £255 cash on him. All three men were arrested for conspiracy to burgle and were taken to custody.

When officers searched the van they found the stolen gun safe and investigators were able to link the suspects to the burglary that had taken place earlier in the day.

Detective Constable Josh Hillman said: “Stewart was driving extremely dangerously, including on the wrong side of the road at times. Thankfully, no one was hurt, especially as he does not have a driving licence.

“This was a great result off the back of some excellent teamwork involving officers on the ground, police dogs, and NPAS. This teamwork enabled us to locate all three men and bring them to justice.”

The men appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, November 28.

The driver of the vehicle, Charlie Stewart, 37, of Aboyne Drive, Raynes Park was sentenced to 29 months in prison for burglary, dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

Ben Belhaj-Farhat, 38, of no fixed abode, and Junior Suban, 40, of Sullivan Court, Fulham, were also sentenced to 29 months in prison each.

All three were also ordered to pay £228 in costs.