Kingpin of motorway Mercedes theft racket locked up for over five years
A 41-year-old London man has been slammed behind bars for five years and four months after masterminding a huge motor vehicle theft conspiracy across the East of England.
The Great Van Heist
Miroslav Pesko, from Charlton, London, was found guilty at Norwich Crown Court of running an organised crime gang that stole more than 100 Mercedes vans. Their loot was valued at over £1 million – not counting the personal items stolen or the earnings lost by van owners who depended on their vehicles for work.
The gang operated between January and September 2019. Pesko used his specialist skills to reprogram stolen ignition switches and keys, enabling his henchmen to drive off in the vehicles after a quick switcheroo. The vans were stripped of valuables, tracking devices disabled, and fitted with cloned number plates before being taken to a notorious Essex chop shop to be dismantled and sold off, sometimes abroad.
Six Men Busted, One Fled to Lithuania
- Pesko arrested alongside Almantas Andriuskevicius, Ignas Bielevicius, Dzanetas Simanskas, and Tadas Taraskevicius.
- Sixth suspect Viktoras Sakalauskas fled to Lithuania but was tracked down and extradited back to the UK.
- The gang cruised the East of England at night hunting for Mercedes vans to steal.
- Pesko recoded keys at his London base while others removed ignition switches in the field.
Trials and Sentences
- Simanskas jailed for 12 months in May 2020.
- Bielevicius received 18 months.
- Taraskevicius, the least involved, got 15 months for conspiracy and other theft offences.
- Sakalauskas pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
- Andriuskevicius (AKA Zuira) also pleaded guilty; sentencing pending.
Speaking about the case, Detective Inspector Matt Adams said, “The scale of the conspiracy involved theft of over 100 Mercedes vans across the East of England with losses exceeding £1 million. The investigation was complex and lengthy but the team worked tirelessly to bring these offenders to justice.”
This high-profile bust highlights the dark, organised underworld targeting commercial vehicles, affecting countless livelihoods across the region.
