A criminal network from Surrey exploited a location in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, as part of a large-scale vehicle theft operation targeting high-value cars across the UK. Five men have been sentenced at Guildford Crown Court following an investigation by police into the dismantling and transportation of stolen vehicles.
The gang specialised in stealing luxury cars – including BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche models – using a sophisticated technique to bypass security systems. They employed a device that tricked the cars into believing the key was nearby, allowing them to drive away without conventional access.
Once stolen, the vehicles were transported to a remote farm near Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, where they were systematically dismantled. Investigators discovered that parts from these dismantled cars were then moved to a location in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, before being transported onward.
Police became aware of the operation through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which flagged vehicles of the same make and model as those reported stolen, but with altered number plates. These vehicles were repeatedly observed entering the Surrey site and then being removed on transport vehicles. A further ‘chop shop’ was subsequently discovered in Cherthsey, also in Surrey, containing more stolen vehicle parts and connected to one of the defendants, Deividas Jakaitis.
Deividas Jakaitis, 37, of no fixed address, received the longest sentence of 32 months imprisonment after pleading guilty at the start of the trial. Irmantas Lozuraitis, 41, also of no fixed address, was sentenced to eight months. Raimundas Dumcius, 24, of no fixed address, received an eight-month sentence after changing his plea. Gytic Kirsinikas, 26, from Cranleigh, and Eimantas Mikalauskas, 21, also from Cranleigh, received sentences of seven and six months respectively, both pleading guilty before the trial commenced.
The investigation highlights the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by vehicle theft gangs, and the importance of utilising technology such as ANPR to disrupt their operations. Police continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
