Criminal gang who stole £5m worth of top range cars jailed for total of 12 years

Police said the gang had stolen or attempted to steal 33 high value cars - costing more than £60,000 each. They used accomplices working at airport parking companies or through a Maidenhead garage where one of the gang worked.

Khalid Mahmood, 35, of Duffield Lane in Stoke Poges, was sentenced to four years and six months for conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. He was also sentenced to six years and four months - to run concurrently - for conspiracy to export motor vehicles out of the country.

He pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2013.

Irfan Rehman, 41, of New Bedford Road in Luton, was sentenced to three years and nine months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.

Amran Iqbal, 39, of Derby Road in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, was found guilty by a jury at Reading Crown Court on Friday (18) for conspiracy to steal vehicles and was sentenced to three years.

A fourth man, Andrew Murray, 50, of Barnard Road in Maidenhead, was found guilty by jury on June 6 of conspiracy to steal vehicles and will be sentenced in August.

The convictions followed an extensive investigation by police called Operation Sorrel. Speaking after the guilty pleas, Detective Superintendant David Poole, head of specialist operations at Thames Valley Police, said: “An organised criminal gang involved in the theft and export of high value cars has been smashed.

“I am pleased that through our actions many members of the public have not had to suffer the loss of their cars and the inconvenience this causes. My message to anyone offending in our communities is 'we are coming for you next’.” After the criminals got the cars they would fit a tracking device and programme an extra key. After the cars were returned to their owners they would steal the vehicles and store then to be exported for sale in east Africa. Police say 85 vehicles had been exported.

Land Rover has since changes its software to combat this type of theft.