Four men are alleged to have been part of a criminal gang involved in a conspiracy to commit burglary across nine counties - including Ludlow, Hereford and Ross-on-Wye - stealing more than £30,000 worth of property.

It is claimed there were more than 100 burglaries in a 12 week period between July and October last year.

Grazvydas Kasarauskas, 34, Giedrius Batutis, 33, Tomas Juospaitis, 31 and Gytis Dambauskas, 30, all Lithuanian nationals, deny a charge of conspiring to commit burglary.

A jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court has heard that the thieves targeted the homes of the retired, bungalows in a quiet residential areas and often when the occupants were away on holiday.

The gang selected houses that were empty and often where the curtains were closed and generally iPads, laptops and similar portable objects, along with items of gold and silver jewellery were taken.

"These were professionals, only after specific, high value, items,” said Miss Mary Loram, prosecuting.

She said it was claimed all the burglaries were committed by an organised and professional gang and the defendants were all part of the gang.

“They may not have been the only ones but each of them played a part. They may not have been present at each and every burglary, but that does not matter. They were part of a team and there was a conspiracy to burgle," she alleged.

The court heard there were burglaries at properties in Norbury Place, Quay Close, Hampton Park Road, Lichfield Avenue, The Crescent, Roman Road, Wyelands Close and Putson Avenue in the Hereford area and at Grey Tree and Dunam Road in Ross-on-Wye and further raids at Charlton Rise, Toll Gate Road, Paddock Side, Whitbatch Close, Fishmore Close, Fishmore View and Stanton Road all in the Ludlow area.

There were also dozens of raids in Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth and Oswestry, in Shropshire, and across Worcestershire, Powys, North Wales, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

The court heard that defendants were arrested after being linked to at least four cars which were tracked on CCTV and connected to the scenes by mobile phone analysis, DNA evidence and footprints.

Detective Constable Ben Docherty said cameras across the region had recorded movements of two Vauxhall Astras, a Ford Focus and Toyota Auris on journeys between the scenes of the burglaries and the Washwood Heath area of Birmingham.

Later officers discovered the cars were insured on fraudulent trade policies on which the details of the cars had been added and removed on several occasions during the time of the alleged conspiracy.

It is believed the burglars spent several hours in each location to target the empty properties and usually gained entry by breaking windows.

The trial continues.