Just because your car has been stolen doesn’t always mean it’s gone for good.
A hoard of 30 luxury cars stolen nearly a decade ago has finally been returned to their rightful owners in Britain, according to the BBC. The collection of cars is believed to be worth almost $8 million.
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The stolen vehicles were recovered thanks to an investigation called “On Titanium” by the country’s National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), an industry-funded police group organized by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. They were all said to have been stolen between 2016 and 2017. The perpetrators would acquire the vehicles through hire purchase agreements, fly them to Singapore with false papers and then ship them to Thailand. Each of the cars was found more than 6,000 miles from where they were originally stolen.
After 8 years, 35 vehicles with an original value of over £6 million were returned from Thailand after Op Titanium. These were obtained on fraudulent financing and shipped to Bangkok within a few days. It took years of work and fantastic help from the Thai authorities. pic.twitter.com/Ig0H5L2i97
— NaVCIS (@NaVCIS_UK) October 31, 2024
NaVCIS has been tracking the cars for the past seven years with the help of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI). Raids at nine locations in Bangkok helped track down the stolen vehicles, many of which were found in showrooms or industrial estates, DSI said. The operation resulted in charges against thirteen people, including the alleged ringleader.
The illegal scheme saw 35 vehicles stolen, all but five of which have been recovered. The stolen cars included a handful of BMW M4s, a Lamborghini Huracán Spyder, a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and three R35-generation Nissan GT-Rs. Road and rail. NaVCIS estimates the value of the stolen cars at more than £6 million, which equates to approximately $7.8 million.
Many of the stolen vehicles were owned by finance companies, according to the BBC. The Huracán in particular was owned by a luxury vehicle rental company, and its theft led to the end of the company. The head of NaVCIS, Sharon Naughton, told the news service that he “couldn’t be happier” to have it back seven years later.
“Today is a good day to demonstrate how NaVCIS can deploy resources and expertise to tackle vehicle crime,” said Naughton.
Combating all forms of vehicle crime appears to be a priority in Britain. Earlier this year, London police launched a program to seize vehicles from drivers engaged in anti-social driving. During the first week, authorities seized more than 60 supercars worth a total of $7.8 million.
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