Man jailed for mass vehicle theft conspiracy
An investigation was launched after a GPS tracking device was discovered on an Audi car
A 31-year-old man has been jailed for four years after he was found guilty of a vehicle theft conspiracy.
In August 2018, an investigation was launched after a GPS tracking device was discovered on an Audi car after the owner took it into a car garage for a service and was informed of the tracker’s presence by the mechanics working there.
Police were called and an initial investigation led to Karolis Ragelis who, alongside an accomplice, had been in communication with the tracker on the day it had been placed on the Audi in April 2018.
Enquiries also uncovered that Ragelis had been in a vehicle following the Audi two weeks before the tracker was deployed.
Through subsequent investigation, detectives from the SOCT found that this incident was only the tip of the iceberg, with Ragelis involved in a highly organised and widescale conspiracy to track and steal motor vehicles.
In total, eight GPS trackers were found to have been deployed between March and April in 2018 in both the Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire areas.
In an attempt to cover his tracks, Ragelis had registered SIM cards with false details and travelled from Peterborough in cloned vehicles displaying false plates to covertly deploy GPS trackers onto vehicles with the intention to track their movements and identify their home location, in order to return later and steal them.
In March 2019, police officers executed search warrants at addresses in Peterborough linked to Ragelis and found multiple trackers.
A laptop found at his home address also showed that he had carried out multiple web searches in relation to the equipment required to steal vehicles, as well as communication with companies overseas regarding how to operate the equipment needed to start the engine and bypass car systems.
Investigators were also able to link Ragelis to a residential burglary which occurred on December 4, 2017, when an Audi Q3 was stolen after the offenders had broken into the Kings Cliffe property and stole the keys. A week later, Regalis was stopped driving the very same Audi which was now displaying false plates. Upon a search, he was also found to be in possession of number plates, gloves, tools used to steal, and a “code grabber” for vehicles.
Ragelis was subsequently charged with conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and one count of burglary.
Due to court delays, the case didn’t go to trial at Northampton Crown Court until September 2025, where Ragelis was found guilty of all charges by a jury.
He was sentenced at the same court yesterday (November 6) to four years in prison.
Detective Inspector Carrie Powers from the Serious and Organised Crime Team said: “This was a lengthy and complex investigation involving a number of court delays so I would like to thank the team, especially the lead investigator - DC Lewis, for their determination to get it over the line and bring Karolis Ragelis to justice.
“Ragelis’ offending was exceptionally organised - he had clearly invested time in researching the most effective way to commit his crimes and cover his tracks, but thankfully, our officers were even sharper.
“We are really pleased to have put a stop to these crimes, and I hope this case demonstrates the skills and tenaciousness of our officers, all in the name of protecting the public.
"Tackling organised acquisitive crime is a priority for our team and we will continue working hard to bring more people like Ragelis to justice."