High value motorhomes targeted by thieves and converted into cut and shuts to be sold on

A total of five motor homes and camper vans were taken from outside the owner's homes in the North East of England in June and July 2020, which were worth a total of £142,000.

The court heard they had been bought and personally adapted by people who planned to use their "pride and joy" for future holidays or long haul retirement trips.

Devastated owners put out social media appeals and scoured the streets for hours in the hope of getting them back and were unable to claim what they believed was the full value back from insurance.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the stolen vehicles were converted, using parts of other motors and sold to innocent purchasers who ended up out of pocket when the scam was exposed by the police.

Jackson Bainbridge, 23, of School Road, Houghton le Spring, Sunderland and Steven Stewart, 36, of Hartside Road, Sunderland, both admitted five charges of theft.

Gary Richardson, 37, of Tanfield Road, Thorney Close, Sunderland, admitted handling one of the stolen vehicles.

Prosecutor Graham O'Sullivan told the court: "The case concerns theft of vehicles, in each case a motor home or camper van, in five different locations from five different owners between June 24 and July 22 2020.

"These were very valuable vehicles, each worth somewhere between £23,500 and £40,000.

"The evidence obtained by the police demonstrated Bainbridge was responsible for the actual thefts and Stewart was responsible for their conversion after they had been stolen.

"This would involve cutting and transferring them onto legitimate Ford Chassis in order to conceal their identity."

The court heard Richardson was involved in handling one of the stolen motors, which was worth £23,500.

The first motorhome, worth £23,500 was taken from Burnhopfield village in County Durham on June 24 2020 and was revamped then sold on to an innocent buyer, by Richardson, for £12,000.

The second motorhome was worth £25,000 and had been taken from Bedlington in Northumberland on June 27 2020 by two males who were caught on CCTV.

On July 2 a £28,000 campervan was taken from Rowlands Gill in Gateshead.

Then on July 6 a £25,500 motorhome was taken from Chester le Street before being "cut and shut" and sold to another innocent purchaser for £16,500.

On July 22 a £40,000 motorhome was taken from Barnard Castle.

Bainbridge, who also admitted unrelated charges of burglary, attempted burglary and vehicle interference relating to two farms in January this year and was on a suspended sentence at the time, was jailed for a total of 38 months.

Helen Towers, defending, said Bainbridge was a much younger, homeless man at the time who had fallen in with the "wrong crowd" but has since become a father and settled down.

Stewart was sentenced to 19 months suspended for two years.

Shada Mellor, defending, said Stewart is now a business owner and a father with commitments.

Richardson got six months, suspended for 18 months.

Jane Foley, defending, said Richardson had the least involvement, is a father and a "hard working man".