£ 2.6 million worth of high-performance vehicles were stolen
Author: Louisa KingPublished 4 hours ago
Operation Castle detectives, our dedicated burglary team, have welcomed the sentencing of five people to a total of 23 years and three months in prison (plus two suspended sentences) as part of the largest investigation the team has overseen on a Regional Organized Crime Group (OCG) for Responsible for a total of 162 break-in, theft and break-in attempts.
The investigation began in January 2020 after an increase in home break-ins in Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire, in which high-performance vehicles valued at an estimated £ 2.6 million were stolen and often recovered in the Blackburn area of Lancashire.
The theft crimes investigated were keyless entries in which radio key signals were cloned, which allowed the perpetrators to open the vehicle in the driveway, start the engine and drive the vehicle away. In this way, the criminal can avoid breaking into apartments to steal key rings.
With the assistance of the Cheshire and Lancashire Police, Merseyside Police coordinated the investigation and the following verdicts were pronounced.
Lewis Tankard, 20, of Seel Road, Huyton, has been sentenced to five years and seven months for conspiracy to break into and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. 19-year-old Neil O’Brien of Prestwood Crescent, Knotty Ash, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for conspiracy to break into and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.Noah Hassan, 29, who was not permanently resident, was sentenced to four years and nine months on conspiracy charges convicted of car burglary and conspiracy to steal a car Stephen Hooten, 29, of Craigburn Road, Tuebrook, has been sentenced to five years and two months for conspiracy to break into and conspiracy to steal cars. The 36 year old Sireen Rafiq (also known as Shamilia Tabassum) from Seacole Close, Blackburn, Lancashire has been given 21 months for criminal property transfers
In addition, 50-year-old Paula Heathers of The Green, Stoneycroft, was sentenced to 14 months probation for two years and 115 hours of unpaid labor for possession of criminal property. Heathers and the six others all pleaded guilty.
Susan Russell, 20, of Corner Brook, Stockbridge Village, was sentenced to 12 months probation of two years, 60 hours of unpaid labor and a curfew after a trial in Liverpool Crown Court.
Three more men will be sentenced later this year.
The OCG is said to have been responsible for a total of 162 crimes, including break-in, attempted break-in and theft.
Operation Castle Detective Sergeant Darren Hankin explains more: “It is very gratifying to see that this OCG is being dismantled after an extensive operation in close collaboration with our colleagues in our neighboring Cheshire and Lancashire Forces.
“It quickly became clear that these OCGs were sophisticated, productive, and causing misery everywhere. A conspiracy has been proven in which the OCG organized its vehicle break-in and redistribution through a network of employees.
“On October 20, 2020, there was a day of strike in Merseyside and Lancashire and seven of the suspects were arrested and subsequently charged. The remaining three were later charged, and the vast majority pleaded guilty to the trial in the face of overwhelming evidence.
“Operation Castle is a dedicated team of detectives and we’ve seen more than 500 years in prison on suspects since we launched in 2018 and we’ve seen burglary bring them to life.
“We know that burglaries often have a massive impact on victims. It can be a truly personal and invasive crime, and victims can struggle to come to terms with the fact that perpetrators have entered their homes and stolen personal items that are not always of high monetary value but can be irreplaceable on a personal level.
“The key to these successes can often be information from the affected communities, so I would continue to ask people to report suspicious things and any information they may have seen or heard.
Regarding keyless theft, Detective Sergeant Hankin continued, “The thefts we investigated as part of this operation were keyless entry that have occurred in the past few months in Merseyside and elsewhere.
“In addition to the undoubtedly chilling effects of today’s rulings, we’d like to share some simple, inexpensive steps owners of keyless cars can take to minimize the likelihood of their car being stolen in this way.
“While it is recommended that you keep your keyless entry tags out of sight or hidden, this does not necessarily prevent them from being cloned.
“We ask car owners to consider investing in a Faraday pouch / signal blocking sleeve for their keys. They block the trailer’s signal, are relatively cheap – costing only around £ 5 – and are widely available on the internet.
“However, it is important to do your research on the product you are purchasing and after purchasing it, double-check that it is effectively blocking the signal by trying to open your car with the key in your pocket or suitcase.
“Additional physical security devices such as mechanical steering locks, entrance posts, wheel clamps and trackers are also effective in protecting vehicles from thieves. If you have a non-keyless vehicle, it is advisable to park it in front of the keyless vehicle. ”
Other tips for keyless car owners include:
• Contact your dealer and see if there are any pending software updates for your vehicle that can improve security • Check that the keyless fob can be switched on and off, your dealer can confirm and advise you • Be Keep you vigilant and report any suspicious activity in your neighborhood to the police
Detective Sergeant Hankin also gave some general advice on crime prevention:
“Many break-ins are still avoidable, as perpetrators are often opportunistic. Lock your front and back doors even when you’re inside, set your burglar alarm when you go out or go, and consider video surveillance.
“We continue to remind people during the summer that on hot days, although it may be tempting to leave windows and doors wide open to cool off, care should be taken to avoid leaving your home vulnerable leave this way.
“It’s also a good idea to use light timers when you go out at night or on summer vacation, keeping valuables out of sight, and also securing your shed and garage. Watch out for your neighbors, especially the elderly, and report any suspects to us. ”
Detective Sergeant Ian Bingley of the Proactive Team at Cheshire Constabulary in Warrington said, “This has been a careful and complex investigation in which all three forces worked together to gather and gather evidence leading to the identification and arrest of the organized crime conspiracy would.
“They committed the break-ins during the night, which was sometimes terrifying for the victims who were at home at the time. They ruthlessly entered the property, searched the keys to the owner’s high-performance vehicles, and then drove the cars away.
“Those who carried out the break-ins were ordered by the OCG ringleader, Anjum Nawaz. He identified which cars should be targeted and resold, but also acted as a manager for the other employees in the group, paying each of them a wage for carrying out the crime. ”
Further information on crime prevention can be found in the crime prevention advice | Merseyside Police or on our local Twitter and Facebook pages. You can follow the hashtags #OpCastle #BeatTheBurglar to see updates.
