A gang carried out a brazen day-time burglary unaware their every move was being watched by police officers.
A surveillance team could not believe their luck when Patrick Maguire, 32; Dean Murphy, 22; David O'Driscoll, 25; and Richard Mansfield, 18, targeted a property in Cornwallis Avenue, Weston-super-Mare.
Mansfield and O'Driscoll entered the property and stole jewellery and cash while Maguire and Murphy drove around the area.
The gang then drove to a local cemetery and secreted a sock full of stolen jewellery in undergrowth.
After leaving the gang became aware of the police helicopter and raced to the M5 where a pursuit ensued in which Mansfield and O'Driscoll threw their shoes out of the car's windows in a desperate bid to get rid of incriminating evidence.
A stinger device was deployed by officers to stop the vehicle and all four men were arrested.
The sock was recovered and all jewellery except a pair of pearl earrings were returned to the owner.
All four pleaded guilty to burglary.
Recorder Nicholas Hall told the men that all four of them deserved prison because there had been significant planning and targeting and because they were working as a gang which was a "frightening prospect" for people living in Weston.
Maguire, of Hazelbrook Stud, Tarnock in Axminster, was jailed for 15 months.
O'Driscoll and Murphy, both of The Baths, Knightstone, Weston, were each jailed for 12 months.
Mansfield, also of The Baths, Knightstone, Weston, was given nine months in a young offenders institution and an additional six months for two burglaries in Bedminster and Barnstaple he asked to be taken into consideration.
Sam Jones, for Maguire, said his client had run into financial difficulties after having to pay for the funeral of his mother-in-law.
Giles Nelson, for Murphy, said his client had been made redundant in Ireland two years ago and was struggling financially.
Derek Perry, for O'Driscoll, said his client had relapsed into drugs and had come to Weston to seek rehabilitation and was vulnerable.
Mark Worsley for Mansfield said his client had been naive.
