Prolific thieves jailed for stealing Ford Fiestas across Kent
A car theft gang behind a string of Ford Fiesta thefts across Kent has been stopped, after police found a chop shop near Tunbridge Wells.
Harley Webb and Callum Burren stole at least eight Fiestas between July and November last year, using a diagnostics tool to bypass security systems.
The pair mainly operated in and around Tunbridge Wells but struck in places like Gravesend and Ramsgate.
Officers traced the stolen cars to an industrial site near Bedgebury Pinetum, where the vehicles were stripped for parts.
Police also recovered stolen vehicles, car parts, and a machine used to make number plates at the site.
Webb, from Tunbridge Wells, and Burren, from Suffolk, were both jailed after admitting conspiracy to steal cars.
Webb was sentenced to a year and ten months’ imprisonment. Burren was jailed for a year and three months.
Detective Constable Mike Kingwell said: "Webb and Burren were responsible for a huge surge in the theft of Ford Fiestas, which are no longer produced and often targeted by thieves for their spare parts."
"They used sophisticated methods to enter and start the vehicles, striking across multiple towns and communities and causing distress, financial loss and disruption to multiple victims.
‘We continue to urge owners to ramp up their own security methods to keep their cars safe, including a mix of modern and traditional security deterrents like crook locks and wheel clamps.
"Using tracking technology will also significantly help police quickly close the net on thieves and return stolen vehicles to their rightful owner."