Gang who targeted footballers' villages for £100k Range Rovers are finally jailed
A group of five individuals who targeted the homes of footballers and millionaires in Cheshire have been jailed for a total of 14 years and one month at Manchester Crown Court
A gang who targeted footballers’ villages and millionaire estates for £100,000 Range Rovers has finally been jailed.
The five-strong group hunted for high-value cars in areas of Cheshire, popular with Manchester United and City stars, the rich and the famous. In one month alone, from April 18 to May 12, 2022, they stole at least 11 Range Rovers, Range Rover Sports and a Land Rover Sport, each worth anywhere between £65,000 and over £100,000 each.
They used signal jammers to interfere with key fob frequency, preventing owners from locking the doors to their vehicles properly, as well as a skeleton key - targeting cars across Cheshire, Trafford and Rochdale.
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They were stolen from locations including car parks, town centres and private driveways across Alderley Edge, Altrincham, Hale, Hale Barns, Poynton, and Rochdale.
Greater Manchester Police ended the gang’s spree on May 13 when their Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit stopped a blue BMW they were travelling in.
At Manchester Crown Court five gangsters were jailed for a total of 14 years and one month. Michael Andrews, 33, of Rochdale, and Faisal Hussain, 29, of Royton, were each jailed for three years and nine months.
Nazish Shakeel, 30, of Longsight, Manchester, was jailed for three years, seven months and Jonathan Langley, 28, of Rochdale, received three years. Shaun Andrews, 28, of Rochdale, received a 19 month suspended sentence.
All five pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal the high-value vehicles, and all defendants, except for Shane Andrews, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.
One of the men was found to have £19.000 in cash at his home address, which has since been confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Walton said: “This is an excellent result for Trafford Neighbourhood Crime Team. Here at GMP, we are committed to bringing car thieves such as these to justice, ensuring they are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
“We would encourage anyone who has a high-value car to double check the doors are physically locked before walking away from their car and when at home consider keeping their keys in the faraday bags.”
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