Three South American pick-pockets who stole £82,000 worth of jewellery, cash and passports from elderly holidaymakers at British airports have been jailed for 12 years.

Mexicans Jose Flores, 53, Juan Hernandez, 55, and Colombian Reynaldo Weston, 60, flew to the UK in August with the express aim of pinching as many valuables as they could manage.

Using well-rehearsed distraction ploys, they worked together over five days to swipe the luggage of oblivious passengers who were waiting at London's Heathrow, City and Stansted airports.

But the gang was eventually caught while trying to escape with their loot in a silver Mercedes and were all arrested and charged.

The thieves, of no fixed address, all pleaded guilty to theft and have been jailed for a collective 12 years, after which time they will be deported.

Sentenced: Mexicans Jose Flores, 53, (left) and Juan Hernandez, 55, (right) have been jailed for over four years each following theft offences

Colombian Reynaldo Weston, 60, (right) has also been put behind bars for helping to swipe elderly passenger's luggage. A fourth accomplice - 61-year-old Peruvian José de Jesus Boada Penaranda (left) - has also been convicted of similar offences and is due to be sentenced on Wednesday 4 December at Isleworth Crown Court

A fourth accomplice - 61-year-old Peruvian José de Jesus Boada Penaranda - has also been convicted of similar offences and is due to be sentenced on Wednesday 4 December at Isleworth Crown Court.

The men struck first at London City Airport on September 6, where CCTV snared them swapping a passenger's bag with a decoy.

Weston, wearing a grey suit, is seen working with Penaranda, wearing a check shirt, to distract the passenger who is hovering at the airport.

As the victim's attention is drawn away, Flores swiftly snatches his bag and replaces it with another one.

The gang loaded their jewellery haul into their Mercedes, which ferried them away from the east London airport.

But Flores, Weston and Hernandez struck again at London Heathrow Airport on and September 9 and 12, while Weston acted alone at London Stansted Airport on September 10.

Yet by September 19, police had managed to track the Mercedes to a supermarket car park in Camberwell, Southwark, and scrambled officers to catch the three men.

Weston, wearing a grey suit, is seen working with Penaranda, wearing a check shirt, to distract the elderly passenger (pixelated) who is hovering at the airport, while Flores (bottom left) switches the suitcases

Flores replaces the bag stuffed with valuables with a fake - the well-rehearsed ploy saw the gang rake in £82,000

And on November 5, officers traced Penaranda to east London and arrested him at Bethnal Green Underground Station.

Investigating officer, PC Barry Munnelly, of the Met Aviation Policing Command, said: 'These criminals arrived in the UK in August with the express purpose of carrying out callous acts of theft against elderly and vulnerable people.

'However, following their first offence, officers were quick to identify and arrest them. They will now spend a considerable time behind bars before being deported.

'Stolen items have also been recovered and returned to their rightful owners. '

Flores and of no fixed address was jailed for four years and six months imprisonment for four counts of theft offences.

Weston, also of no fixed address was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment for five counts of theft offences.

Hernandez, no fixed address was sentenced to four years and 10 months imprisonment for four counts of theft offences.