Two men who carried out a classic car crime spree have been sentenced to six and half years in prison. The pair stole 13 classic Minis and sold the parts via eBay.
Stephen Fiddimore plead guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and was sentenced to three and a half years behind bars, while Sam Metten was found guilty of the same offence and received three years’ imprisonment.
The Metropolitan Police’s Organised Vehicle Crime Unit eventually closed in on the pair, who may have been responsible for as many as 40 vehicle thefts across London, say detectives. Many of the cars were hot-wired, while searches of their home addresses revealed property relating to their crimes, including two vehicles, which were found to have been stolen and cloned.
“These men systematically targeted owners of classic Minis across the south east,” said detective inspector Caroline Clooney. “Many of the vehicles had been lovingly restored and were their owners’ pride and joy. Discovering that their cars had been stolen obviously caused them much distress and inconvenience.
“I am pleased with the sentences handed down and hope it sends out a message that the Met is serious about tackling car crime and will always seek to destroy the activities of individuals involved in it.”
Greg MacLeman is a contributor to and former Features Editor of Classic & Sports Car, and drives a restored and uprated 1974 Triumph 2500TC