Criminal gangs targeting luxury car homes

Figures obtained by the Yorkshire Post show there has been a spike in the number of “two-in-one” burglaries across South Yorkshire this year, where gangs break into properties and steal top-of-the-range vehicles off the owners’ driveways or from the streets outside.

The cars, which include Audis, BMWs and Mercedes, are then either stripped for parts or shipped abroad to international crime syndicates as far away as Africa.

In North Yorkshire, where there has been a major problem over the past few years with criminals travelling into the area to target some of the region’s most exclusive postcodes, the number of two in one burglaries has increased by a third in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2011.

The rise comes despite North Yorkshire Police launching a successful burglary crackdown last year to prevent criminal gangs travelling in to carry out raids, which has reduced incidents overall across the county and is still continuing.

In Harrogate, where the problem remains most acute, the operation has led to the number of two-in-ones falling by nearly 50 per cent compared to the previous year.

In West Yorkshire and in Humberside, the number of the burglaries has reduced in 2012, compared to the previous year.

Detective Inspector Chris Singleton, force lead for burglary in South Yorkshire Police, has blamed this year’s rise of 54 extra break ins with 111 extra vehicles stolen, on persistent offenders being released from long jail terms and back on to the streets.

“It is a constant cycle of chasing the culprits that are doing the crime and bringing down the operations that the cars are being passed on to,” he said.

“It is not to the stage where it is a massive cause of concern, but for me it is a personal cause of concern because of the intrusion.

“The people doing this are organised gangs and are very professional in the way they operate.

“They know what they are doing and it is very rare that they get in a confrontation.

“But my advice to anybody would be let them take the car.

“These vehicles get broken down into parts or shipped right across the world. It is not unusual for us to get a call from the docks down in Felixstowe saying they have found a container filled with vehicles from South Yorkshire – particularly 4X4s.”

Senior police say the problem of two-in-ones results from rising vehicle security, meaning it is harder for thieves to break in directly using traditional methods.

Meanwhile, it is believed many travelling criminals target Yorkshire’s more affluent postcodes in the summer months, as it is easier to blend in with the tourist traffic on the busier roads.

Despite the rise in offences in the first three months of this year, Operation Haven, which was launched by North Yorkshire last May, has led to a 10 per cent fall in domestic break-ins overall.

Detective Chief Inspector Heather Pearson, the lead for burglary within North Yorkshire Police, said Yorkshire’s forces are now working much closer together to tackle the problem.

“We regularly now have joint patrols on the borders and we share the same radio signals,” she said.

“That has been really effective.

“It is one of the crimes that people fear most and we are really passionate about ensuring that we strive to get results for victims.

“We are a rural community and there are affluent properties in North Yorkshire.

“Offenders will see that as an opportunity to come into our area and exploit that.

“When we do catch them they are organised by their very nature and that should be reflected in their sentence from the courts.”