A professional gang has According to investigators in North Rhine-Westphalia expensive motorhomes with a total value of several million euros captured. The thieves were particularly active in the Rhineland, reported police and prosecutors in Krefeld.
By 2018, the number of stolen campers in NRW had almost quintupled compared to the previous year. 150 mobile disappeared, they were worth a total of eight million euros.
In Krefeld, the Central Investigation Commission "California" was then founded on the initiative of the State Criminal Police Office. As the investigators now announced, they grabbed a 14-headed gang.
The gang's 44-year-old alleged head and a 30-year-old second suspect were in custody. Both had already been charged with charges of heavy, commercial and gang theft, said Attorney Axel Stahl.
According to police, recordings from surveillance cameras showed the gang's behavior: "Fences were dismantled, electronic immobilizers manipulated and locks exchanged," investigator Holger Sauren said.
Five hours at the scene
In order to steal the most expensive models from dealers at dealerships, the thieves would have been at the scene for up to five hours. In one night sometimes four to eight of the mobile were captured with an average value of 50,000 euros.
The track led quickly to the neighboring country: Nine vehicles were secured at the German-Polish border. Several suspects are burdened by DNA traces. A fingerprint was also found.
The breakthrough brought according to the investigators a cell phone. Then you have found photos and videos of expensive RVs and evidence of crime scenes and accomplices.
All suspects are from Poland. The alleged boss of the troop had spied out of Duisburg from crime scenes; he had been caught red-handed in Dortmund. The second prime suspect was responsible for recruiting drivers and buyers. When transporting the escort vehicles should have warned the thieves against police checks.
72 vehicle thefts are attributed to the gang: In addition to 49 mobile homes, they are said to have also taken three horse transporters, six trucks, three cars and eleven vans. Total damage: almost 3.7 million euros.