Dear All
Caravanning is generally seen as a low cost holiday option for many people but in fairness caravans are expensive in some cases costing thousands of pounds.
A gang of travellers who stole hundreds of caravans have been caught and jailed after their crime spree attracted too much attention.
The four men, who were based in Wiltshire were prolific in their crimes and are thought to be responsible for half the country's caravan thefts between 2004 and 2007.
Their sentences range between four and nine years following a three month trial at Winchester Crown Court.
After their crime spree hit the buffers the insurance industry reported a 47% drop in claims following their arrest.
Sentencing the men, Judge Patrick Hooton said;
"This trial lasted for three months and during the course of it I heard evidence of repeated thefts of caravans and motor vehicles which in total could be described as theft on a grand scale repeated time after time after time."
Given the length of the trial, the men all must have pled not guilty which shows they are not too bright as the Police recovered stolen caravans, cars and motor homes, jewellery and cash when they were arrested in Chiseldon in October 2007.
The operation to trap these men was also on a grand scale as nineteen police forces were involved in trying to catch the men.
The men all had previous convictions related to the theft of caravans which means they will return to this type of crime when they are released.
Confiscation proceedings will now take place against the gang to seize their assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
And rightly so!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Caravanning is generally seen as a low cost holiday option for many people but in fairness caravans are expensive in some cases costing thousands of pounds.
A gang of travellers who stole hundreds of caravans have been caught and jailed after their crime spree attracted too much attention.
The four men, who were based in Wiltshire were prolific in their crimes and are thought to be responsible for half the country's caravan thefts between 2004 and 2007.
Their sentences range between four and nine years following a three month trial at Winchester Crown Court.
After their crime spree hit the buffers the insurance industry reported a 47% drop in claims following their arrest.
Sentencing the men, Judge Patrick Hooton said;
"This trial lasted for three months and during the course of it I heard evidence of repeated thefts of caravans and motor vehicles which in total could be described as theft on a grand scale repeated time after time after time."
Given the length of the trial, the men all must have pled not guilty which shows they are not too bright as the Police recovered stolen caravans, cars and motor homes, jewellery and cash when they were arrested in Chiseldon in October 2007.
The operation to trap these men was also on a grand scale as nineteen police forces were involved in trying to catch the men.
The men all had previous convictions related to the theft of caravans which means they will return to this type of crime when they are released.
Confiscation proceedings will now take place against the gang to seize their assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
And rightly so!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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