A group of car thieves have been jailed for their part in the thefts of high-performance vehicles in both Surrey and Sussex last year. All four were charged and pled guilty to conspiring to steal motor vehicles.

The gang targeted grey Audi RS model vehicles at addresses in Stoneleigh in Surrey and Copthorne in Sussex – breaking into the owners’ houses as they slept specifically to steal their car keys and then driving off in the vehicles.

They were caught when officers on patrol spotted an unattended grey Audi RS4, on the same day as one of the offences, parked up in Chipstead. They conducted some checks and discovered the registration plates were cloned. Whilst they were there, the four offenders came back to the car but on seeing the officers, ran off, and were captured after a brief foot chase.

PC Joe Brown said: “During the foot chase they tried to throw away car keys connecting them to this vehicle, but these were recovered along with another set belonging to a second stolen car.

“We know vehicle theft has increased but we are working hard every day to identify and catch the offenders who are targeting them.”

At Guildford Crown Court on Friday (April 17) three of the group were sentenced to the following:

-  Romaine Simpson, 27 (DOB 10/02/1999) from Sutton, was sentenced to two years and seven months.

-  Charlie Hart, 24 (DOB 22/09/2001) from Croydon,  was sentenced to two years and three months.

-  Kayden Brown, 20 (DOB: 01/04/2006) from Carshalton, was sentenced to 16 months in a Young Offenders Institution.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced in an earlier hearing at Staines Magistrates’ Court in February and received a Youth Referral Order for 12 months, a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order and was disqualified from driving for 16 months.