London Gateway shipping container of stolen cars seized

An ongoing investigation by the force's stolen vehicles intelligence unit, and other partner agencies, led to the identification and seizure of the vehicles at London Gateway Port on their way to West Africa on September 19.

The container was examined by police at midday and two Range Rovers, as well as a Toyota Land Cruiser were recovered - all found to have been fitted with false plates.

Range Rover - One of the stolen cars recovered (Image: Essex Police)

PC Paul Gerrish and PC Phil Pentelow, who head the operation, confirmed two of the vehicles were reported stolen from London, while the other had been taken from Essex.

Mr Gerrish said: “It was very satisfying to prevent the stolen vehicles from reaching their intended destinations as the force have committed more resources into disrupting and dismantling the criminal networks responsible for the thefts.

“Our job is to hunt down stolen vehicles that will provide evidence for investigations and lead to arrests. We are a small team but we strive to return stolen property, no matter what the value or who the victim may be.

“There’s no such thing as a slow day for us as the thieves are always looking for opportunities. It’s non-stop, and when we’re not out tracking the vehicles down, we’re doing the vital background work and piecing together the intelligence.

The stolen cars - The two Range Rovers and Toyota Land Cruiser recovered from the container (Image: Essex Police)

“We often find personal possessions inside cars and return to them – items that aren’t covered on any insurance claim and have sentimental value. Whilst we may not get everyone’s car back, we do everything we can.

“We know how and where these gangs operate, and our operations are limiting their ability to function. The most satisfying part of the job is returning a car or van to an owner as these are the vehicles people rely on in their day-to-day lives.”

The team also seized a stolen Land Rover Discovery at 7:30am, before finding a further two vehicles stolen from London at 9:30am, before locating £91,000 of parts from stolen vehicles at a chop shop in Essex late into the afternoon.

Since the start of the year, the team of have recovered 546 vehicles worth £11.6 million. 

Nationally, 180 people were arrested and 316 stolen vehicles with a value of more than £4m were recovered.