Gang Jailed for £2 Million Car Theft Operation Using Keyless Device Disguised as Nintendo Game Boy
A gang of thieves has been sentenced after stealing £2 million worth of cars across north and east London using a keyless device disguised as a Nintendo Game Boy. The device allowed the group to quickly unlock and start targeted vehicles within seconds.
The thefts occurred between October 2018 and December 2022, with cars stolen from areas including Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and Newham. CCTV footage released by the Metropolitan Police showed the gang in action as they targeted vehicles.
Five men involved in the operation were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court last Friday, receiving a combined total of 13 years and five months in prison.
The investigation into the gang began in January 2022, after police linked a series of car thefts in north London. By February 2023, officers had executed 20 warrants, recovering stolen vehicles from as far away as Scotland and Wales.
Alfie Brown, 31, and Andre Clarke, 33, were identified as leading figures in the operation, each heavily involved in the theft, cloning, and sale of the stolen vehicles. In one shocking incident in May 2021, the pair were linked to the theft of a Volvo in Chigwell, which had a three-year-old child inside. Upon realizing their mistake, they abandoned the vehicle, leaving the child with minor injuries.
The gang would meet buyers, pretending to be legitimate car dealers, and provided fake invoices and service history documents. Clarke even established a business account under the name ‘ACC Motors LTD’ to receive payments from unsuspecting victims and launder the proceeds.
The five men were sentenced as follows:
- Alfie Brown: Five-and-a-half years for conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle and conspiracy to possess/acquire criminal property.
- Andre Clarke: Four years and three months for the same charges.
- Marcin Gorecki, 40: A two-year suspended sentence for conspiracy to possess/acquire criminal property.
- Mark Preece, 30: A nine-month sentence suspended for 12 months for the same charge.
- David Burvill, 36: An 11-month sentence suspended for 15 months for the same charge.
Detective Constable Dave Van Der Valk, from the Met’s Specialist Crime North team, who led the investigation, praised the officers involved for disrupting the sophisticated crime network. He said: “Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of highly skilled officers in the Met, we have been able to disrupt a sophisticated crime operation."
He also highlighted the impact on both direct victims and those who unknowingly bought the stolen vehicles, stating: "Those who bought the stolen cars without realising were truly the most affected, as they did not receive any compensation from insurance companies. There were 170 victims affected by the heartless behaviour of the group."
The case, which took two years to investigate, also exposed the extensive network of money launderers used by the gang to hide their profits. The lengthy investigation demonstrates the police's commitment to bringing criminals to justice, regardless of the complexity of the case.