Stash of stolen luxury cars worth hundreds of thousands discovered just moments before being shipped by crooks

A STASH of stolen luxury cars have been discovered just moments before being shipped by crooks.

The four SUVs - including an orange Jeep Wrangler worth roughly £50,000 and a blue Toyota Rav 4 valued at around £40,000 - were found by police in Essex on December 29.

A stash of stolen luxury cars have been discovered just moments before being shipped
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A stash of stolen luxury cars have been discovered just moments before being shippedCredit: SWNS
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The four SUVs were found by police in Essex on December 29Credit: SWNS

Pictures taken at the scene showed how the thieves had used thick straps to hang two of the huge vehicles to the roof of shipping containers.

And they also reveal how the criminals had used tyres to sandwich the other vehicles in place below them - which can weigh more than two tonnes.

Essex Police said the four vehicles, which had recently been stolen from London, were among 240 that they had managed to retrieve from criminals over the past year.

And they believe the value of all the motors they have recovered from over 60 containers during 2023 was in excess of £13million.

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The Essex Police's Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit tweeted: "Our last container seizure of 2023 = 4 x stolen cars found, taken recently from @metpoliceuk area.

"@EP_SVIU @EssexPoliceUK have intercepted over 60 containers this year - leading us to recover 240 cars valued in excess of £13 million!

"This is in addition to our day to day work."

It comes after two Premier League stars' luxury cars were found in shipping containers on the way to Dubai.

The supercars recovered by the Essex Police's SVIU were a Ferrari and a Range Rover.

The two players, who have not been identified but have more than 100 international caps between them, had their cars stolen in neighbouring counties.

The SVIU's PC Paul Gerrish, PC Phil Pentelow and analyst Hannah Gerrish, tracked down the vehicles to shipping containers which were due to travel to Dubai from London Gateway Port in Thurrock.

One the stolen vehicles in a shipping container
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One the stolen vehicles in a shipping containerCredit: SWNS
Crooks had used tyres to sandwich the other vehicles in place below them
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Crooks had used tyres to sandwich the other vehicles in place below themCredit: SWNS