While security technology now means that car thefts by joy-riders may be in decline, car crime is very much on the increase with thieves targeting specialist cars for export or for their parts. In response Police forces are having to become more sophisticated in detection and a special unit in Essex in the UK has had some particular success.    

The Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit recently recovered more than £1 million worth of cars and parts in a single week, including high-end cars from Rolls Royce, a Bentley Bentayga, as well as Range Rovers and BMWs. Previously it has recovered many Ferraris and Aston Martins as well as a Rolls Royce Cullinan worth more than £360,000 alone. It has also broken up 15 ‘chop shops’, workshops where stolen cars are stripped of their parts. 

So far this year the specialist team has recovered vehicles and parts worth some £12 million.

PC Paul Gerrish from the team commented, "Every year, we track down more stolen vehicles and as we do, we build up a bigger and better intelligence picture. Our work is dedicated to the disruption of organised criminal gangs and we make sure car thieves are never comfortable in Essex.”

This year the team has also intercepted almost 50 shipping containers, all full of stolen vehicles and parts, destined to leave the country.

Once a car is taken, thieves may look to quickly sell it on, strip it for parts, or ship either the whole car or parts of the car to areas including the Middle East and Africa. There, the vehicles can be sold for two or three times more than they would cost in the UK.