Record number of stolen vehicles recovered by the SVIU in 2022

The Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit (SVIU) have recovered or identified a record 626 stolen vehicles or parts of stolen vehicles so far this year – a 30% increase on 2021.

The value of those vehicles is estimated to be an incredible £14m.

PC Paul Gerrish and PC Phil Pentelow frequently seize stolen cars within hours of them being taken, examine them, and use the intelligence they have gathered to hunt down other missing vehicles.

The team's third member is analyst Hannah Gerrish, who studies the thefts to look for patterns of offending.

“Every year, we are tracking down more stolen vehicles and building up a bigger intelligence picture,” said PC Paul Gerrish. “We are creating a hostile environment for car thieves and causing significant disruption for organised criminal gangs. We know what to look for and we know how and where they operate.

“Our work is definitely having an impact and it’s incredibly satisfying for us as a team to be able to return a stolen vehicle to its owner when they thought there was probably little or no chance of them seeing their car or van again.”

The unit also worked on 34 investigations into chop shops – the places stolen cars are stripped of their parts.

The most valuable vehicle the team discovered this year came in January when they searched a shipping container that was heading to Dubai from the London Gateway Port in Thurrock.

Inside they found a Rolls-Royce Dawn that had been stolen in London. The missing car had recently cost its owner £350,000 and had been stashed alongside parts of eight stolen Range Rovers.

Once a car is taken, thieves may look to quickly sell it on – even for way under the market value – strip it for parts, or ship either the whole car or parts of the car to areas including the Middle East and Africa. There, the vehicles can be sold for two or three times more than they would cost in the UK.

Thieves or handlers of the stolen vehicles may also obtain false or cloned identities, then sell the vehicles on to unsuspecting members of the public in the UK or distribute them to other criminals.

The team’s work has evolved to become increasingly intelligence-led with the team targeting the people and places they believe are most likely to produce results.

“Car thefts build into a bigger network of criminality,” said analyst Hannah Gerrish. “That’s we try to build a picture of what we’re seeing and hearing. It’s all about joining the dots. Our intel is primarily self-generated. Something that may seem insignificant when it’s reported might trigger a lightbulb moment for us.”

Earlier this year, PC Paul Gerrish and PC Phil Pentelow were presented with awards by the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators for their ‘outstanding contribution in the fight against vehicle crime’.

The pair work with manufacturers including Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, BMW and Mercedes to improve vehicle security.

If you’re concerned about the security of your vehicle, PC Phil Pentelow said there are simple steps owners can take.

“Learn about your car’s vulnerabilities. There are videos online where you can find this information out. Look on the website Secured by Design to find recommended safety devices for your car and consider investing in a Disklok for your steering wheel at the very least.

“However, the biggest vulnerability is leaving your car unlocked. Double lock your car and check it. We see CCTV of thefts where thieves try the car door and it’s unlocked.”

Follow the Essex Police Stolen Vehicle Unit on Twitter @EP_SVIU.

For more advice on steps you can take to protect your vehicle, see our vehicle crime prevention page.

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