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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Gang jailed over luxury car scam | Gang jailed over luxury car scam |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Members of an international gang who made £4.5m selling luxury cars stolen in violent attacks have been sentenced. | Members of an international gang who made £4.5m selling luxury cars stolen in violent attacks have been sentenced. |
| Gang members sold more than 190 cars, some of which were stolen by associates at gunpoint others during burglaries. | Gang members sold more than 190 cars, some of which were stolen by associates at gunpoint others during burglaries. |
| Cars were often stolen to order then sold with identifying parts and paperwork from vehicles written off in Europe, Southwark Crown Court heard. | |
| Gang members were given sentences ranging from five years in jail to community service orders. | |
| Ten London gang members had help from associates in Belgium. | |
| Seven members of the Belgian side of the gang, who dealt in write-offs, have already been sentenced. | Seven members of the Belgian side of the gang, who dealt in write-offs, have already been sentenced. |
| 'Distress and loss' | 'Distress and loss' |
| Judge John Price said: "It was a very substantial conspiracy - not all of the conspirators are in the dock. | Judge John Price said: "It was a very substantial conspiracy - not all of the conspirators are in the dock. |
| "But they [the police] destroyed an enormous organisation that was causing distress and financial loss to innocent people." | "But they [the police] destroyed an enormous organisation that was causing distress and financial loss to innocent people." |
| Although some of the cars were stolen in violent car-jackings with guns or knives being used to threaten drivers, most cars were taken in burglaries. | Although some of the cars were stolen in violent car-jackings with guns or knives being used to threaten drivers, most cars were taken in burglaries. |
| The gang members sentenced were involved in changing the identities of the stolen cars or selling them. | The gang members sentenced were involved in changing the identities of the stolen cars or selling them. |
| This was a particularly ruthless organised criminal network Det Ch Insp Stuart Dark | This was a particularly ruthless organised criminal network Det Ch Insp Stuart Dark |
| The police were unable to identify those who actually stole the cars or those behind the violence. | The police were unable to identify those who actually stole the cars or those behind the violence. |
| The cars' identities were expertly changed with new computer chips and identification plates. | The cars' identities were expertly changed with new computer chips and identification plates. |
| They even fooled inspectors from motoring organisations. | They even fooled inspectors from motoring organisations. |
| Vehicles were sold to national dealerships, through trade publications and on eBay. | Vehicles were sold to national dealerships, through trade publications and on eBay. |
| Omar Abbas, 36, of New Cross, south-east London, the mechanic who fixed new number plates and changed the identifying parts, was jailed for five years. | Omar Abbas, 36, of New Cross, south-east London, the mechanic who fixed new number plates and changed the identifying parts, was jailed for five years. |
| 'Excessive violence' | 'Excessive violence' |
| Anthony Holt, 41, a Tube driver, of Sidcup, Kent, who forged 136 DVLA documents, was given a four-year prison term. | Anthony Holt, 41, a Tube driver, of Sidcup, Kent, who forged 136 DVLA documents, was given a four-year prison term. |
| The third key member of the gang Robert Taylor, 36, of Peckham, south-east London, was jailed for two-and-a-half years. | The third key member of the gang Robert Taylor, 36, of Peckham, south-east London, was jailed for two-and-a-half years. |
| All three were sentenced for conspiracy to defraud. | All three were sentenced for conspiracy to defraud. |
| Det Ch Insp Stuart Dark, head of the Met's stolen vehicle unit, said: "This was a particularly ruthless organised criminal network. | Det Ch Insp Stuart Dark, head of the Met's stolen vehicle unit, said: "This was a particularly ruthless organised criminal network. |
| "The upper echelon of the network directed others to engage in excessive violence through robberies or burglaries with no regard for the trauma and anguish caused to their victims." | "The upper echelon of the network directed others to engage in excessive violence through robberies or burglaries with no regard for the trauma and anguish caused to their victims." |
| The other gang members sentenced were: | The other gang members sentenced were: |