Nuneaton Gang Nabbed for £500k Keyless Car Heist Spree
A Nuneaton gang that stole vehicles worth over half a million pounds across five counties has been slammed with a combined 14-year prison sentence at Warwick Crown Court.
Swift Keyless Break-ins Across Five Counties
Between December 2016 and March 2021, the four-man crew targeted 35 vehicles in Warwickshire, Coventry, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire. They exploited keyless entry technology, using electronic gadgets to unlock and nick cars parked outside homes and businesses – all within seconds.
Stolen Cars Dismantled or Cloned for Sale
The stolen motors were either stripped for parts or undergone a slick identity-cloning process. These cloned vehicles were then sold to unsuspecting buyers, none the wiser about their dodgy origins.
Ringleader Runs Operation From Nuneaton
The gang members, James Wright (the ringleader), James Griffiths, Scott Prosser, and Luke Griffiths, masterminded the scheme. Wright operated from his Nuneaton home, managing the car cloning, insurance fraud, and slick sales to innocent customers.
The breakthrough came when police spotted a van travelling with a convoy, tipping off officers to the key gang members and leading to their arrests.
Detective Urges Keyless Car Owners to Stay Vigilant
“The widespread nature of their offending caused a great deal of distress to the victims, and I am pleased they have been brought to justice,” said Detective Constable Jack Maguire, who led the probe.
Maguire also warned vehicle owners to beef up security on keyless cars. He recommended using steering wheel locks and storing key fobs in Faraday pouches to block electronic thieves.
