Three brothers kept a 'secret room' inside a semi-detached house to hide an Aladdin's Cave of stolen goods from shops and mosques Liam, Sean, and Carl Cumberland put up fake wall in an upstairs bedroom Used hidden room to stash stolen paintings, picture frames and other goods Concealed entrance through airing cupboard behind shelves and bedding Sharp-witted officers found it during raid on the property last September Gang of nine burglars from Lancashire jailed for more than 22 years Three brothers built a secret room inside their semi-detached house so they could fill it with some of the £88,000 in valuables they had stolen from shops and mosques. Liam Cumberland, 27, and his brothers Sean, 32, and Carl, 31, created the 'Aladdin's Cave' at the house in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, by putting up a fake wall in an upstairs bedroom. They were then able to sneak in and stash stolen paintings, picture frames and other home furnishings after building a hidden entrance through an adjoining airing cupboard. Jailed: Liam Cumberland, left, and his brother Sean, right, were sentenced to five years in prison after admitting conspiracy to commit burglary at Preston Crown Court But when Lancashire Police smashed their burglary racket and raided the property last September, they noticed the dimensions of the bedroom didn't seem to add up. During a search of the airing cupboard, astonished officers found the entrance to the extra room concealed behind shelves and bedding. The gang of nine men were jailed for a total of more than 22 years at Preston Crown Court yesterday. Devious: Carl Cumberland was part of the trio which built the secret room to try and hide their stolen goods Det Sgt Tim McDermott from Lancashire Police said: 'I have never come across anything like this secret room. When we searched the premises we found that the last four or five feet of the main upstairs bedroom had been partitioned off with a stud wall. It was only accessed from a storage cupboard on the main landing. The cupboard, which was around the same size as an airing cupboard had been designed with shelves, but they had been removed and the back of the cupboard had been cut out. 'Inside the small room there was still the same wallpaper as was in the bedroom and room for all of the gang's stolen goods. Clearly the purpose of the room is that it would foil any cursory search of the house. It was done in a very subtle way indeed and it was only down to the good work from the officers which allowed us to uncover it. Police had launched a special investigation codenamed Operations Prism after a high number of burglaries were reported at mosques, businesses and restaurants in the Blackburn, Accrington, Great Harwood, Burnley, Colne and Preston areas. Detectives believe the gang stole goods valued at around £88,000 during the spree between February 2011 and September 2012. Their crimes put several smaller businesses on the verge of going bust. Icon Designs, a manufacturing firm in Blackburn which had three commercial vehicles taken, said the theft cost them £1million in lost contracts because they were unable to deliver and pick up goods. Twenty one members of staff had to be made redundant. Shock discovery: Officers found the secret room hidden behind a partition wall in an upstairs bedroom. The entrance was concealed with shelves and bedding in an airing cupboard At Preston Crown Court, Liam Cumberland, 27, and his brothers Sean, 32, and Carl, 31, all admitted conspiracy to commit burglary. Liam and Sean both from Blackburn were each jailed for five years while Carl, from Oswaldtwistle was sentenced to two years and ten months. Accomplices Daniel Darani, 31, Darren Jeal, 42, and Stuart Ainsworth, 40, all of Blackburn and James O'Neil, 30, of Darwen also pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Jeal was jailed for four years, Darani got three years and four months and O'Neil was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. Ainsworth's sentencing was adjourned due to ill health. Det Sgt Tim McDermott added: 'They deliberately targeted local businesses and mosques with each gang member having a different level of involvement in these premeditated and calculated attacks. The effects of their crimes go far beyond the value of the property they stole. Some of the small businesses they stole from suffered and continue to suffer severe financial difficulties. One company was forced to make 21 employees redundant as a direct result of their losses. Crackdown: Police found the secret room during a raid on this semi-detached house in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire Caught out: The gang, including Sean Cumberland, were jailed for a total of more than 22 years at Preston Crown Court Not only did they steal charity money from the mosques but they took community documents which had been left for safe keeping. We should not underestimate the impact these thefts had on our local communities who were left feeling violated. They did their utmost to frustrate the police investigation at every turn. These sentences should demonstrate our determination to support local business and communities whilst targeting criminals and bringing them to justice. Two further two men were also sentenced for their part in the series of offences; 43-year-old Shaun Lever, Knuzden, was given a two year supervision order after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods. Ronald Straeker, 51, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to two years and three months after pleading guilty to one burglary, one thefts and an offence of handling stolen goods.