THREE Wiltshire detectives who led a ground breaking investigation have been honoured.

Acting DI Simon James of Kennet CID, DC Mark Stowell and PC Philip Artingstall, both based in Salisbury, received judge's certificates of commendation for their meticulous approach to investigating a gang who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of goods from cars over a two year period.

Although the investigation centred on Wiltshire the gang were also responsible for offences in six other counties in southern England and the officers liased with colleagues in those forces.

As a result the officers discovered a total of 28 vehicles that the suspects had owned or had used and cross matched them alongside hundreds of suspicious incidents and offences ranging from distraction burglaries, non-dwelling burglaries, thefts from vehicles, deceptions and perverting the course of justice.

The gang of two brothers, two sisters and one other struck at beauty spots including Rockley Downs near Marlborough, the Caen Hill Locks car park, Devizes, and Silbury Hill.

On some occasions the gang posed as bird watchers and after the victims left their cars they would smash the windows and grab what valuables they could from the cars.

Two of the gang were caught after an alert nature lover became suspicious when the 'bird watchers' started looking in the wrong direction for wildlife at one beauty spot and three others were arrested after police launched an undercover surveillance operation.

The officers worked extremely long hours during the operation and as a result more than 455 witness statements were taken, 125 exhibits seized and 55 box files of evidence, intelligence and information were gathered.

The most prolific offender David Wells, 27, of Orcheston near Salisbury was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

His common law wife Victoria Cooper, 31, and Michael Stafford, 32, of Ferndown, were each given 15 months in prison.

All three admitted charges of conspiracy to steal from cars relating to 33 offences.

Cooper also admitted perverting the course of justice, harbouring an escaped prisoner and attempting to obtain property by deception.

Gary Wells, 32, of Maryland Close, Salisbury, and Valerie Cooper, 42, of Randalls Croft Road, Wilton, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from cars and received community punishment orders.

Judge John Harrow, who sentenced the five, said: "This was a painstaking investigation carried out with much skill and determination. The public should be very grateful for all the hard work that these three officers have put into this case, which went far beyond the call of duty."

Acting DI James said: "This conspiracy investigation was groundbreaking for Wiltshire because we looked backwards at crime patterns, analysis and ownership of vehicles.

"We looked at suspicious incidents where people were seen on properties or in private gardens and there were hundreds of such incidents. We lived and breathed this inquiry for two years."

Also honoured for her outstanding efforts was financial investigator Lou Senior who recovered just under £100,000 from drug dealers who plagued Swindon.

While her police officer colleagues gathered the evidence to convict 20 offenders for supplying heroin Miss Senior's task was to find out what assets the offenders had in order to recover them under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The investigation into the drug dealers began in May 2003.

Miss Senior was with police officers who raided the addresses of the suspects and after they had been arrested she sifted through belongings to look for bank statements and cards and found brief cases full of money.

Miss Senior's work was completed in November last year when a judge granted a confiscation order against one of the ring leaders Mosorof Ali for cash and assets totalling £93,256.99.

At the awards ceremony at police headquarters in Devizes, Miss Senior was presented with a judge's certificate of commendation and a certificate of commendation from the force for her excellent work in preparing the financial reports for the investigation.

Miss Senior has worked for Wiltshire police since April 2001 and is based at police headquarters in Devizes.

She said: "This is the most money I have recovered in an investigation and it is satisfying. The difficulty with investigating drug dealing is that the majority of transactions are done in cash so we had to look at their spending patterns, whether they wore designer clothes or were driving flash cars.

"The idea of the Proceeds of Crime Act is to take away assets from criminals. It's OK sending them to prison but if they still have their assets than they can come out and return to a comfortable lifestyle."