Trio in court for selling stolen car parts on eBay

MORE than £23,000 worth of luxury car parts were stolen from vehicles in West Yorkshire before being sold on the internet as part of a theft conspiracy, a court heard.
Car parts theft scammer John PriceCar parts theft scammer John Price
Car parts theft scammer John Price

Adam Dooley, John Price and his partner Bethany Morvan targeted high-value cars including Audis, BMWs and Mercedes before stripping them of parts to be sold on eBay and Gumtree.

Leeds Crown Court heard Price and Dooley would approach cars as they were parked outside homes in Wakefield and Pontefract and remove parts including wing mirrors, spoilers, hub caps and badges. One victim who had the wing mirror of his Audi stolen by the gang later had it sold back to him.

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Morvan’s role was to identify target vehicles, often following victims home when she spotted them out driving. She would then text Price and Dooley with vehicle details and addresses. Howard Shaw, prosecuting, said the offending took place between in 2015 and 2016.

The scam came to light last year when police officers stopped Price and Dooley in a BMW and sheets of paper were found which contained addresses and vehicle details.

Investigations revealed theft from vehicle reports had been made from victims living at ten of the addresses on the list. All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.

Dooley, 33, of Stanley Street, Castleford, was jailed for 16 months. Price, 32, of Hammerton Farm Avenue, Ryhill, Wakefield, was jailed for 28 months. Morvan, 33, also of Hammerton Farm Avenue, was made the subject of a 12-month community order.