Two men have been sentenced in connection with a series of keyless thefts which saw up to £250,000 worth of cars taken from driveways across Surrey and South West London.

The charges relate to twelve offences where thirteen high-powered cars, including BMWs, Range Rovers, a Mini and a Jaguar were taken over a period of three months.

Detective Chief Inspector Wendy Whiting said: “This was a proactive investigation by Surrey Police, where officers worked tirelessly to piece together clues in order to build up enough evidence to pursue prosecution.

“Instances of keyless car theft are on the rise across the country. However I hope this investigation demonstrates that Surrey Police takes this type of crime seriously and are taking steps to tackle it head-on.”

Charlie Flint, 20, whose last known address was Halepitt Road, Great Bookham, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and was sentenced to 30 months in custody and will also have to pay a £140 victim surcharge.

Benjamin Shoebridge, 36, from Blair Avenue, Esher pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit theft, relating to one offence where a black Land Rover Discovery was stolen from a driveway in Wimbledon in August of 2017.

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and sentenced to 10 months in custody, suspended for 12 months. He will also have to attend an accredited program for 19 days, attend a rehabilitation program for 20 days and pay a £140 victim surcharge.

The investigation started after a black Land Rover was reported stolen from a driveway in Walton-on-Thames.

It was taken overnight between the night of October 18 and 19, 2017.

While performing a routine stop, Kent Police found the car just nine days later, loaded on the back of an HGV in a motorway service station, along with two other vehicles also stolen from Surrey.

Over the following eight months, police investigating a number of keyless car thefts across Surrey and South West London built up enough evidence to link the thefts together.

Here is a full breakdown of the offences committed in 2017 within the charges.

  • August 9/10 (overnight) – Theft of a blue Range Rover from Waterhouse Lane, Tadworth. The vehicle was recovered with false plates on September 10 in Woking.
  • August 17/18 (overnight) – Theft of a white BMW from Molesey Park Road, West Moseley. This car is still outstanding.
  • August 27/28 (overnight) – Theft of a black Land Rover Discovery from Marryat Place, Wimbledon. The vehicle was recovered with trade plates on August 30 in Aldershot, Hampshire.
  • September 29/30 (overnight) – Theft of a white Range Rover from Cramner Close, Weybridge. The vehicle was recovered on October 4 from Ebbisham Road in Epsom with false plates, which were later found to be cloned from a vehicle registered to an address in Bookham where Flint was staying.
  • October 7/8 (overnight) – Theft of a green Land Rover Discovery from Denbigh Gardens, Richmond. The vehicle was recovered together with the black Range Rover Evoque mentioned below, with its original plates.
  • October 9/10 (overnight) – Theft of a black Range Rover Evoque from Camberley Avenue, Raynes Park. The vehicle was recovered from Crabtree Lane in Great Bookham on the October 10 along with the green Land Rover Discovery mentioned above, with its original plates.
  • October 10/11 (overnight) – Theft of a white Range Rover from Esher Road, East Molesey. The vehicle was recovered with original plates from Tabor Court, Cheam.
  • October 18/19 (overnight) – Theft of a black Mini Cooper and a black Land Rover Discovery from Silverdale Avenue in Leatherhead. The Mini Cooper was recovered on the October 20 from an address in West Molesey. The Land Rover was recovered on the October 19 from the address Flint was residing in at the time.
  • October 18/19 (overnight) - Theft of a black Land Rover Discovery from Queens Road in Walton-on-Thames. The vehicle was recovered on the back of a vehicle transporter on a lorry park in Ramsgate in Kent on October 27 with false plates, which upon forensic examination were shown to bear the fingerprints of Flint.
  • October 23 (evening) – Theft of a blue Land Rover Discovery from Weybridge. The vehicle was recovered on the back of a vehicle transporter on a lorry park in Ramsgate in Kent on October 27 with false plates. The front numberplate bore a fingerprint matching Flint’s.
  • October 23 (evening) – Theft of a black Jaguar XF from Imber Close, Esher. The vehicle was recovered on the back of a vehicle transporter on a lorry park in Ramsgate in Kent on October 27 with original plates.
  • November 8/9 (overnight) – Theft of a black Range Rover from Toynbee Road, Wimbledon. The vehicle was recovered November 9 with false plates near an address in Carshalton. Flint was imprisoned by the time this offence occurred.