Warsaw. A broken group of car thieves

In recent days, the police have carried out an operation against car thieves.

– It was the result of intensive work carried out for a long time by the Warsaw police under the supervision of the National Prosecutor's Office. The officers thoroughly examined the group, which operated in Warsaw and neighboring counties, as well as in Belgium and the Netherlands. They identified the members of the gang and their role in the criminal business – described Assistant Commissioner Barbara Szczerba from the press department of the Warsaw Police Headquarters.

The roles in the group were carefully divided. There were people responsible for acquiring clients, selecting vehicles for theft, and organizing the equipment necessary to defeat security.

– Other tasks included stealing vehicles, “cleaning” them of devices enabling tracking, disassembly and liquidation of parts obtained from the vehicles. According to investigators' findings, these parts were sold via online portals and could be used in car repair shops. The perpetrators were most often interested in American, Japanese and Korean cars, she noted.

At the end of April, in the early morning hours, policemen from the “Orzeł” group with the support of the capital's criminal investigators, officers from “Kobra” from the Warsaw VII District Police Headquarters, policemen from the Warsaw IV District Police Headquarters, Otwock, with the participation of CPKP “BOA” and experts from The Bug and Bieszczady Border Guard Units detained eight men aged 20 to 50.

– These people have been previously convicted of car theft. Criminal investigators found items used to steal vehicles, including: GPS signal jammers, as well as a device for finding GPS locators and other specialized equipment used to emergency start vehicles by connecting to car systems. The police also seized three cars and parts from stolen cars, the total value of which reached PLN 615,000, said Deputy Commissioner Szczerba.

The detainees were taken to the Warsaw Police Headquarters.

The evidence collected in the case allowed the National Prosecutor's Office to present charges against the detainees, as well as against two other men, aged 37 and 45, brought from the detention center.

– They were the leaders of the gang, and they have been under temporary arrest for a year after they were caught red-handed stealing a vehicle – the policewoman further explained. She added that the suspects were charged with a total of 108 charges, including participation in an organized criminal group, vehicle theft and stolen goods. The losses resulting from their activities were estimated at PLN 4 million.

At the request of the prosecutor's office, the court imposed temporary arrest on seven men. Three people were placed under police supervision.

Finally, the policewoman reminded that leading an organized criminal group and burglary is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and participating in a criminal group is punishable by eight years in prison. However, the penalty for receiving stolen goods is up to five years in prison.