Three men sentenced for stealing motorhomes
All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles
Three men have been sentenced after committing a spree of motorhome thefts across the Southeast last year.
46 year old John Doe from Woking, 42 year old Joseph Wickens from Hailsham and 35 year old Cornelius Buckley from Woking pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles at Reading Crown Court.
Surrey Police said the investigation into the ring of thieves first began on 22 May last year, after a motorhome was stolen from Chobham and taken into Sussex.
A second motorhome was stolen from Hook a few days later on 28 May, when the owner got a tracking update that his vehicle had been moved to Woking.
Due to extensive ANPR and CCTV enquiries, officers were quickly able to establish that the grey Volkswagen Tiguan being used as the ‘mission vehicle’ for these thefts, was registered to John Doe. Financial investigations also placed Joseph Wickens in the car with John on at least one occasion, via a payment made at a petrol station with his card.
On 30 May, officers out on proactive patrol were alerted by ANPR to the Tiguan in convoy with a fourth stolen motorhome. The vehicles were successfully stopped and John Doe, Joseph Wickens, and Cornelius Buckley, were all arrested. Mobile devices, gloves, facemasks and cutting implements were also seized for evidence.
Following their arrests, text conversations showed the group had researched and taken photos of one of the stolen motorhomes in the day prior to the theft.
John Doe was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for 18 months and 30 rehabilitation days, Joseph Wickens was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, and Cornelius Buckley was handed a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
Investigating officer, PC Adam Grindlay, said; “Thanks to the quick work and dedication of investigating officers, these four thieves were promptly identified and arrested within 8 days of the first report. I have no doubt that if they had not been interrupted by us, they would have most likely continued their spree. If you are going to commit criminality in Surrey, we will pursue you and bring you to justice.”