U.K. Authorities Return Nearly $8 Million of Stolen Cars to Owners
Just because your car has been stolen does not always mean that it is gone forever.
A trove of 30 luxury cars stolen nearly a decade ago has finally been returned to their rightful owners in the U.K., according to the BBC. The collection of automobiles is believed to have a value of nearly $8 million.
The stolen vehicles were recovered thanks to an investigation dubbed “Op Titanium” by the country’s National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), an industry-funded police group hosted by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. They were all reportedly stolen between 2016 and 2017. The perpetrators would acquire the vehicles via hire-purchase agreements, air fright them to Singapore with false papers and then ship them to Thailand. Each of the cars was found more than 6,000 miles away from where they were originally stolen.
NaVCIS has spent the last seven years tracking down the cars with the help of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI). Raids at nine locations across Bangkok helped turn up the stolen vehicles, many of which were found in showrooms or on industrial estates, according to DSI. The operation has resulted in charges being filed against 13 people, including the alleged ringleader.
The illegal scheme saw 35 vehicles stolen, all but five of which have since been recovered. Among the cars stolen was a handful of BMW M4s, a Lamborghini Huracán Spyder, a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, and three R35-generation Nissan GT-Rs, according to Road & Track. NaVCIS put the value of the stolen cars at more than £6 million, which works out to around $7.8 million.
Many of the stolen vehicles belonged to finance companies, according to the BBC. The Huracán, in particular, belonged to a business that rents out luxury vehicles, and its theft led to the end of the company. The head of NaVCIS, Sharon Naughton, told the news service he “couldn’t be more pleased” to have it back seven years later.
“Today is a good day to demonstrate how NaVCIS can dedicate resources and expertise to tackling vehicle crime,” Naughton said.
Combating all manner of vehicle crime appears to be something of a priority in the U.K. Earlier this year, London police launched a program to seize vehicles from drivers engaging in anti-social driving. During its first week, authorities took possession of over 60 supercars valued at a combined $7.8 million.
