Luxury Car-Stealing Gang Smashed

Members of a gang who plotted to steal 30 cars worth £390,000 during a string of raids in North London, Hertfordshire and Thames Valley – snatching keys during audacious home burglaries – have been locked-up.

Jobless Craig Foskett, 26, of Knoll Crescent, Northwood, Harrow, (pic.top) was sentenced to four years.

Jobless Lewis Nevard, 22 (pic.2^nd top) and jobless Ben Lordan, 21 (pic.3^rd top) both of Greenway, Pinner, Harrow were jailed for three years. 


Jobless Danielle Costello, 21 (pic.bottom) of Balmoral Drive, Hayes, Hillingdon, received twelve months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with an electronic curfew from 7pm -7am for six months and a supervision order for 18 months.

All four pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to conspiracy to burgle relating to fifteen separate break-ins.

They were originally arrested in November 2009 in a series of dawn raids at a string of addresses in north London.

Dozens of cars including BMWs, Mercedes, Audis and Jaguars were spirited away by the network after they seized the car keys after burgling the houses of the owners.

The gang often targeted driveways with two 'his and hers' cars on them, stealing both at the same time.

The vehicles, worth anywhere between £15,000-£60,000 each, were then sold on through a variety of channels.

Other property was also stolen from the same premises by the opportunist thieves - including cash, jewellery, laptops and credit cards.

Operation Okul was led by the Territorial Policing Crime Squad, and supported by local officers from the Territorial Support Group as well as borough officers from Harrow and Hillingdon.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Thompson of the TP London Crime Squad, said: “We worked together with our colleagues from borough and other units on sustained enforcement to disrupt this gang involved in residential burglary, and the sentences show that we are committed to bringing these offenders to justice.

“I would like to take this opportunity to urge householders to take measures to secure their valuables and property.”