Two professional burglars who targeted golf clubs have been jailed.

Daniel Lloyd, 43, and Joe McCaughey, 26, dressed as golfers to steal from lockers at 36 clubhouses in 17 counties over a 15-month period.

Among their targets was Prestbury Golf Club and Wilmslow Golf Club in May 2009.

The brazen duo moved around clubhouses in golf attire and even chatted to other golfers.

They stole full sets of golf clubs, shoes and clothes.

The pair were caught by the National Crime Agency (NCA) following a investigation.

Daniel Lloyd, of Keston, and Joe McCaughey, of Croydon, were found guilty of conspiracy to burgle following a three-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

They were jailed for five and three years respectively at Birmingham Crown Court.

Steve Baldwin, head of regional investigations at the NCA, said: “These men were professional burglars who tried to mask their identities by avoiding CCTV cameras, changing their clothes to enter the same clubs over and over again, and using false number plates on their vehicles.

“When we discovered they were the wanted men from the appeal, the NCA worked with police forces and golf clubs across the country to gather evidence. We proved they had stolen equipment from hundreds of golfers, which they disposed of here and overseas.

“Our focus is now the financial side of the investigation and stripping them of their assets.”

When officers searched Lloyd’s £800,000 home, they found evidence on his computer of internet searches for golf club thefts, locker security and lock picking.

Further investigation revealed that Lloyd and McCaughey were in fact the subjects of a wanted appeal by police which had featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme in 2010.