Your World of Legal Intelligence
 United Kingdom | +44 (0) 20 7284 8080

Gang stole 'luxury' keyless cars worth more than £3 million before dismantling them and shipping parts to Lithuania

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date18 June 2021
Date18 June 2021
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
Metropolitan Police officers found that some of the vehicles, many of which were luxury SUVs, were made to look more legitimate through a process known as 'ringing'.

The SUVs had keyless entry or start systems, enabling the gang members to use special equipment to drive off without needing the keys in a method called 'relay station attack'.

READ MORE: Thugs on stolen moped shot men 5 times outside London Underground station

Back in 2019, the Met carried out searches at properties in Hornchurch and Purfleet, where they found thousands of pounds in cash, a bank card linked to money laundering and four stolen cars which had been 'rung'.

Three of the men were arrested following the searches, while another was arrested after being stopped in a stolen vehicle.

They were released under investigation but were arrested again and charged in 2019 when a dismantling site was found in Essex.

Detective inspector Pete Ellis, who led the investigation, said: “This was a sophisticated and well-organised criminal enterprise.

“Extensive use was made of false identities of both vehicles and the gang, forged documents and multiple bank accounts by those controlling the activity in an effort to evade detection.

“Evidence of over 130 vehicles stolen by the gang was presented to the court, but the true figure is undoubtedly much higher.

“This case illustrates the Met’s ongoing work to tackle vehicle theft and organised crime.”

Six men, all of who were Lithuanian nationals, were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court.

The total jail time for the gang amounts to more than 35 years.

Adolis Grigunas, 29, from Grays in Essex, was sentenced on June 16 to seven years and three months’ imprisonment after being found guilty of conspiracy...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT