Men sentenced for conspiracy to steal keyless vehicles

Two men involved in the thefts of keyless entry vehicles in Sussex have been sentenced.

Aaron Moth, 34, pictured, and Sean Owen, 36, admitted their roles in a conspiracy to steal the vehicles.

Over a period of more than a year, they targeted Land Rovers in particular, with the aim of selling the vehicles onwards.

Evidence showed they were targeting many vehicles across West Sussex and into Hampshire.

But they were arrested, and following an investigation by Sussex Police detectives, their conspiracy was uncovered.

At Lewes Crown Court on 8 May, both men appeared for sentencing for their role in the theft of seven vehicles.

The court was told how the crimes dated back to between January 2020 and December 2021.

Owen, formerly a mechanic, of Bramble Lane, Worthing, was stopped by police while driving in a suspected stolen vehicle.

Further searches at his address found he had searched for information on how to “hack” keyless entry vehicles.

Evidence also then linked him to Moth, formerly a roofer, of Burndell Road, Yapton, as part of the conspiracy, and showed how the two men were targeting keyless entry vehicles.

In one case, a victim and a friend traced a stolen vehicle from Lancing to

Littlehampton and confronted two men at the location of the car.

The victims later identified Aaron Moth, who had also dropped his mobile while trying to leave the area.

Officers found evidence of additional planned car thefts on this phone.

Moth admitted conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle and conspiracy to receive stolen goods. He was jailed for two years and four months.

Owen admitted a charge of conspiracy to receive stolen goods. He received a one-year suspended sentence and was ordered to complete 12 months of alcohol dependency treatment and ten Rehabilitation Activity Requirement sessions. The court also ordered him to pay £800 in costs and a £149 surcharge.

The thefts attributed to them were:

• Theft of a vehicle from Brighton Road, Lancing, on 14 February 2020
• Theft of a vehicle from Lyminster Road, Littlehampton on 29 September 2020 
• Theft of a vehicle from Hunts Pond Road, Fareham, on 2 December 2020 
• Theft of a vehicle from Worthing between 19 and 20 January 2021 
• Theft of a vehicle from Horsham Road, Findon, between 13 and 14 April 2021
• Theft of a vehicle from Rose Walk, Goring, between 30 September and 1 October 2021
• Theft of a vehicle from Winston Road, Lancing, between 7 October and 8 October 2021.

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Louise Baileff said: “Moth and Owen were targeting keyless entry vehicles by overriding on board systems.

“While we were able to recover some of the vehicles, we know that vehicle thefts have a considerable ongoing impact on owners.

“In this case, victims told us of the stress of feeling they had been targeted, the inconvenience of not having their vehicle, and the hidden costs such as incurring debts or ongoing higher insurance costs.

“We were determined to get justice for the victims in this case, and following a lengthy investigation we were able to show the role in the conspiracy that Moth and Owen played.

“Criminals continue to target keyless entry vehicles for use in theft and criminality, and our teams are working hard to disrupt criminal groups using our roads to steal these vehicles.

“Owners can also take the simple steps such as keeping key fobs in Faraday bags and using a steering wheel lock to help prevent crime.

“We also ask communities to be vigilant to these kind of incidents, and to report any suspicious behaviour to us to inform our policing response.”

How to protect your keyless entry car

• When at home keep your car key (and the spare) well away from the car.
• Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check if the bag or pouch is still working every few months.
• Reprogramme your keys if you buy a second hand car.
• Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used.