Million £’s of cars stolen to order - members jailed
Discussion
I’d be amazed if this wasn’t already on PistonHeads, but I couldn’t find it.
https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/wmp-brings-do...
“Members of a Birmingham gang have been jailed for running one of the country’s biggest car ‘chop shop’ rackets − after West Midlands Police linked them to more than 100 stolen vehicles valued at well over £1 million.”
“The stolen vehicles − taken during burglaries and violent carjackings − were dismantled at so-called chop shops in Birmingham before patched-up cars were sold on to unsuspecting buyers via online sales sites.”
Is this a huge setback for the criminals or is it simply a drop in the ocean?
I’d hazard a guess and say that the vast majority of cars stolen in the north have ended up in these two chop shops?
https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/wmp-brings-do...
“Members of a Birmingham gang have been jailed for running one of the country’s biggest car ‘chop shop’ rackets − after West Midlands Police linked them to more than 100 stolen vehicles valued at well over £1 million.”
“The stolen vehicles − taken during burglaries and violent carjackings − were dismantled at so-called chop shops in Birmingham before patched-up cars were sold on to unsuspecting buyers via online sales sites.”
Is this a huge setback for the criminals or is it simply a drop in the ocean?
I’d hazard a guess and say that the vast majority of cars stolen in the north have ended up in these two chop shops?
Jimmy Recard said:
Why the north?
If they're from Birmingham, it would be just as easy to branch out south, if the gang has exhausted the West Midlands
Quite!If they're from Birmingham, it would be just as easy to branch out south, if the gang has exhausted the West Midlands
I just know that cars are stolen more regularly in the north opposed to the south which is where that comment originated from, but you’re absolutely right.
Good to see some of these scum getting caught but there must be hundreds of them at this in the West Midlands - just look at how many cars get stolen every week - there is a Facebook page West Midlands stolen cars and its incredible how many cars get listed as stolen on there, including a lot of fairly mundane boring run of the mill cars. Where do you think they all end up?
rallycross said:
Good to see some of these scum getting caught but there must be hundreds of them at this in the West Midlands - just look at how many cars get stolen every week - there is a Facebook page West Midlands stolen cars and its incredible how many cars get listed as stolen on there, including a lot of fairly mundane boring run of the mill cars. Where do you think they all end up?
Don't many end up in foreign markets where they're sold at much higher values than here, even for mundane cars?RazerSauber said:
rallycross said:
Good to see some of these scum getting caught but there must be hundreds of them at this in the West Midlands - just look at how many cars get stolen every week - there is a Facebook page West Midlands stolen cars and its incredible how many cars get listed as stolen on there, including a lot of fairly mundane boring run of the mill cars. Where do you think they all end up?
Don't many end up in foreign markets where they're sold at much higher values than here, even for mundane cars?Much less risk involved and much easier than trying to get the car out of the country.
roadsmash said:
I’d be amazed if this wasn’t already on PistonHeads, but I couldn’t find it.
https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/wmp-brings-do...
“Members of a Birmingham gang have been jailed for running one of the country’s biggest car ‘chop shop’ rackets ? after West Midlands Police linked them to more than 100 stolen vehicles valued at well over £1 million.”
“The stolen vehicles ? taken during burglaries and violent carjackings ? were dismantled at so-called chop shops in Birmingham before patched-up cars were sold on to unsuspecting buyers via online sales sites.”
Is this a huge setback for the criminals or is it simply a drop in the ocean?
I’d hazard a guess and say that the vast majority of cars stolen in the north have ended up in these two chop shops?
A sadly suspect a drop in the ocean... A quick bit of maths says about 23 years between the 5 of them, call it 4.5 years each on average, out in just over 2 on average. Hardly a deterrent is it?https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/wmp-brings-do...
“Members of a Birmingham gang have been jailed for running one of the country’s biggest car ‘chop shop’ rackets ? after West Midlands Police linked them to more than 100 stolen vehicles valued at well over £1 million.”
“The stolen vehicles ? taken during burglaries and violent carjackings ? were dismantled at so-called chop shops in Birmingham before patched-up cars were sold on to unsuspecting buyers via online sales sites.”
Is this a huge setback for the criminals or is it simply a drop in the ocean?
I’d hazard a guess and say that the vast majority of cars stolen in the north have ended up in these two chop shops?
Megaflow said:
A sadly suspect a drop in the ocean... A quick bit of maths says about 23 years between the 5 of them, call it 4.5 years each on average, out in just over 2 on average. Hardly a deterrent is it?
I wouldn't like to spend over 2 years in jail. Hopefully this is one of many caught.
RazerSauber said:
rallycross said:
Good to see some of these scum getting caught but there must be hundreds of them at this in the West Midlands - just look at how many cars get stolen every week - there is a Facebook page West Midlands stolen cars and its incredible how many cars get listed as stolen on there, including a lot of fairly mundane boring run of the mill cars. Where do you think they all end up?
Don't many end up in foreign markets where they're sold at much higher values than here, even for mundane cars?Driver101 said:
Megaflow said:
A sadly suspect a drop in the ocean... A quick bit of maths says about 23 years between the 5 of them, call it 4.5 years each on average, out in just over 2 on average. Hardly a deterrent is it?
I wouldn't like to spend over 2 years in jail. Hopefully this is one of many caught.
This is the page on Facebook for stolen cars in the West Midlands it shows the scale of the problem
https://m.facebook.com/pg/stolencarsmidlands/posts...
https://m.facebook.com/pg/stolencarsmidlands/posts...
I’m sure there are three main types of car theft going on IMO.
Stolen to order for export - This is the high end, near new stuff. Aim of the game is steal them in the night, make no noise and be as covert as possible. By the time the owner realises several hours later, it’s already in a container/out of the country. The Q7s, Evoques, M3s etc
Stolen to order UK - This I think is purely for parts to fix “unrecorded” cars you can get on eBay/Copart etc. This is typically cars brand new down to say 5yrs old. Mundane/performance/SUVs... it doesn’t matter. Say you can get an unrecorded crash damaged Golf R for £8k less than current market values, and you have a contact who can get a nicked one for £2k... £6k profit straight off the bat with a bit of labour, plus maybe some extra cash out of surplus parts (engines/panels not needed etc etc)
“Job cars” - This is cars to go and do other jobs in... So stealing more cars or other crimes where something quick is needed, think fast 4/5dr cars. The mundane stuff is likely used for running drugs. How many red 17 plate Fiestas (insert other common normal car here) are in your area? Bang a plate on that you know is insured/taxed/MOTd and don’t drive it like a d
head... hey presto the perfect throwaway car to do your dealings with. A girl I know had her 11 plate white Fiesta stolen about a year ago, it turned up maybe 9 months later with about 5k more on the clock after Police tried to stop it in Coventry and the driver did a runner. Similar story for a mates black Mk5 Golf, turned up 6 months later on a false reg with thousands more miles on the clock. Only got found as it was parked up somewhere and the false reg had no tax, so a traffic cars ANPR picked it up, when they ran the VIN in the window it came back to his stolen one.
Stolen to order for export - This is the high end, near new stuff. Aim of the game is steal them in the night, make no noise and be as covert as possible. By the time the owner realises several hours later, it’s already in a container/out of the country. The Q7s, Evoques, M3s etc
Stolen to order UK - This I think is purely for parts to fix “unrecorded” cars you can get on eBay/Copart etc. This is typically cars brand new down to say 5yrs old. Mundane/performance/SUVs... it doesn’t matter. Say you can get an unrecorded crash damaged Golf R for £8k less than current market values, and you have a contact who can get a nicked one for £2k... £6k profit straight off the bat with a bit of labour, plus maybe some extra cash out of surplus parts (engines/panels not needed etc etc)
“Job cars” - This is cars to go and do other jobs in... So stealing more cars or other crimes where something quick is needed, think fast 4/5dr cars. The mundane stuff is likely used for running drugs. How many red 17 plate Fiestas (insert other common normal car here) are in your area? Bang a plate on that you know is insured/taxed/MOTd and don’t drive it like a d
head... hey presto the perfect throwaway car to do your dealings with. A girl I know had her 11 plate white Fiesta stolen about a year ago, it turned up maybe 9 months later with about 5k more on the clock after Police tried to stop it in Coventry and the driver did a runner. Similar story for a mates black Mk5 Golf, turned up 6 months later on a false reg with thousands more miles on the clock. Only got found as it was parked up somewhere and the false reg had no tax, so a traffic cars ANPR picked it up, when they ran the VIN in the window it came back to his stolen one. hotchy said:
RazerSauber said:
rallycross said:
Good to see some of these scum getting caught but there must be hundreds of them at this in the West Midlands - just look at how many cars get stolen every week - there is a Facebook page West Midlands stolen cars and its incredible how many cars get listed as stolen on there, including a lot of fairly mundane boring run of the mill cars. Where do you think they all end up?
Don't many end up in foreign markets where they're sold at much higher values than here, even for mundane cars?If you (posters) read the whole story, this is exactly what they where doing.
If you think about it, they probably moddled their operation on charity shops..
Next to no operating costs other than premises (smashed up cars)
Free stock from donations (stolen cars broken into parts)
Low staff overheads as mostly volunteers (low staff overheads as who wants to be murder badly)
Lots of profit (lots of profit)
The only real difference is the charity is VAT exempt (vs I bet they didn’t fcuck with HMRC)
vaud said:
EXCELLENT!!!!! Thank you OP for flagging this up.
They took two of my cars in 2016. I hadn't had the update from WMP yet.
I think our case was used as part of the evidence as they had prints, etc from the scene of crime and had interviewed me.
Fantastic news, I hope that it, at the very least, provides you with a bit of closure.They took two of my cars in 2016. I hadn't had the update from WMP yet.
I think our case was used as part of the evidence as they had prints, etc from the scene of crime and had interviewed me.
roadsmash said:
vaud said:
EXCELLENT!!!!! Thank you OP for flagging this up.
They took two of my cars in 2016. I hadn't had the update from WMP yet.
I think our case was used as part of the evidence as they had prints, etc from the scene of crime and had interviewed me.
Fantastic news, I hope that it, at the very least, provides you with a bit of closure.They took two of my cars in 2016. I hadn't had the update from WMP yet.
I think our case was used as part of the evidence as they had prints, etc from the scene of crime and had interviewed me.
At the time they were picking town by town around Leeds and seemed to have a very precise list of addresses, even for some cars that had only just been delivered the day before in some very remote places.
Don't worry Boris's additional 21000 police will soon sort out this stolen car epidemic lol.
Hardly surprising car theft and car crime is soaring when prize scrotes like these receive minimal sentences and a slap on the wrists/community services etc so quite clearly the problem will continue to get worse as it is a low priority crime and there is effectively no deterrent whatsoever.
Hardly surprising car theft and car crime is soaring when prize scrotes like these receive minimal sentences and a slap on the wrists/community services etc so quite clearly the problem will continue to get worse as it is a low priority crime and there is effectively no deterrent whatsoever.
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