London keyless theft gang stole car with owner's child still inside

The device, which was disguised as a Gameboy, allowed them to steal cars in seconds and between October 2018 and December 2022 they took cars from Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Newham. 

In May 2021, leading figures in the gang Alfie Brown and Andre Clarke were linked to the theft of a Volvo in Chigwell, Essex while the owner’s three-year-old child was still inside. 

When they realised what they had done they came to a sudden stop which caused minor injuries to the child. 

They then abandoned the car with the child still inside. 

Alfie Brown (Image: Met Police) Brown, 31, of Aberdeen Road in Edmonton, and Clarke, 33, of Beehive Road in Cheshunt, were identified by police. 

Officers established that the pair were both involved in the theft, cloning or sale of each vehicle. 

Andre Clarke (Image: Met Police)

Met Police said purchasers would meet with Brown or Clarke, who would pretend to be car dealers, even providing fake invoices and service history documents. 

Clarke set up a business account called ‘ACC Motors LTD’ to receive payments from victims or launderers. 

David Burvill (Image: Met Police) David Burvill, 36, of Eastwood Rise in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, and Mark Preece, 30, of Shakespeare Road in Romford, then assisted the group by laundering £78,000 from the sales of stolen cars. 

Marcin Gorecki, 40, of Eleanor Way in Waltham Cross, was employed at British Car Auction and was found to be the network's launderer for a long period of time. 

Police said he helped sell a Jaguar which had been exchanged for a stolen vehicle in Essex. 

Marcin Gorecki (Image: Met Police) Det Con Dave Van Der Valk, from the Met’s Specialist Crime North team who led the investigation, said: “Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of highly skilled officers in the Met, we have been able to disrupt a sophisticated crime operation. 

“There were two layers of victims in this case - those who had their cars stolen and those who bought the stolen cars.

"Those who bought the stolen cars without realising were truly the most affected as they did not receive any compensation from insurance companies which meant there were 170 victims affected by the heartless behaviour of the group. 

“This verdict, and lengthy two-year investigation that led to it, demonstrates that we’ll leave no stone unturned in our pursuit to catch criminals who look to enjoy the proceeds of illicit funds – no matter how complex the case.”   

Mark Preece (Image: Met Police) Brown and Clarke were both convicted of conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle and conspiracy to possess/ acquire criminal property. 

Brown was jailed for five and a half years while Clarke was given four years and three months. 

Gorecki was given a two year suspended sentence for conspiracy to possess/ acquire criminal property. 

Preece was given a nine month sentence suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to possess/ acquire criminal property. 

Burvill was given an 11 month sentence suspended for 15 months, for conspiracy to possess/ acquire criminal property.