Irish Traveller Suspected in London Burglary Spree on the Run After Prison Escape

An Irish traveller, James Dooley, believed to be a key figure in a violent 'burglary squad' targeting affluent homes, has been on the run for eight months following his escape from an open prison. Dooley was serving a six-year sentence for a series of burglaries when he disappeared from HMP Hollesley Bay in Suffolk in February.

His escape coincided with a surge in burglaries with similar tactics across north London and the Home Counties, with nearly 50 homes targeted since September. These break-ins have involved smashing entry with sledgehammers and crowbars, sometimes while residents are still inside.

Dooley was jailed on August 10, 2025, for three burglaries in north London and two attempted burglaries in Buckinghamshire. He was later transferred to the Category D open prison, HMP Hollesley Bay, with approximately two years remaining on his sentence. He and another inmate, Andrew Cash, were reported missing on February 24.

David McKelvey, a former Met detective chief inspector and head of private investigations firm TM Eye, noted that the recent burglaries bear a striking resemblance to the methods employed by Dooley's former gang. He suspects the current network consists of Irish Travellers operating in multiple teams, using stolen cars with fake plates and targeting numerous properties daily before returning to traveller sites.

"North London is facing another extraordinary series of 50 plus burglaries and home invasions, again involving stolen cars on false plates and a strikingly similar modus operandi," McKelvey stated. "Let me be absolutely clear, I am not saying Dooley is responsible. But surely the similarities demand investigation."

McKelvey claims that some individuals involved in the current spree may be among those his investigators helped apprehend in 2022 and 2023, and that at least two of them were released under Labour's early release scheme. "If experienced offenders are involved again, they'll be wiser to police tactics and know they're facing substantial sentences if caught," he added.

Suffolk Police confirmed that Dooley remains at large and is believed to have left the UK. The Prison Service stated that public protection is a priority and prisoners are only moved to lower-security conditions after thorough risk assessments. They also noted that transfers to open prisons are not automatic and only occur when strict criteria are met.

The Prison Governors' Association has previously voiced concerns about a Labour scheme allowing serious offenders to be transferred to open prisons early in their sentences, warning of potential public risk. The latest break-ins have seen thieves make off with significant amounts of cash, jewelry, watches, and even entire safes, with doorcam footage showing masked men using crowbars to force entry and steal car keys.