Caravan crooks convicted of £1m haul
The group stole caravans as part of an organised crime ring
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Wednesday, 27, Jan 2010 04:28
A band of crooks have been convicted of stealing caravans and other vehicles worth more than £1 million.
The Wiltshire-based gang, which consisted of a woman and four men in their twenties and thirties, were arrested in October 2007.
As well as the theft charges, the criminals admitted to benefit fraud, with the court hearing how they were part of an organized crime ring.
Detective inspector Matt Davey explained that the group stole caravans and personal possessions as well as cash, jewellery, china and crystal.
"It is evident that this group had a profound affect on theft claims within the insurance industry who reported a 47 per cent reduction in caravan thefts in the year following their arrest," he revealed.
According to VisitWiltshire, the region hosts a number of festivals each year, including the Swindon Festival of Literature and the Chippenham Folk Festival.
Both of these take place in May and attract visitors from far and wide.