Brothers stole 11 Range Rovers and Jags then drove them to Essex chop shop in £472k ‘get-rich’ scheme

Two brothers have been jailed after stealing high-end cars and driving them to Essex in a get-rich scheme amounting to £472,000. Samuel and Thomas Eddleston, 29 and 28, have been sentenced to around two and a half years jail time each for breaking into cars and driving them away from Stoke-on-Trent, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

According to StokeLive, the brothers drove five vehicles to Essex on cloned plates where they were stripped for parts. They targeted 12 high-end vehicles, including Range Rovers, Jaguars and an Audi, in a ‘sophisticated’ conspiracy between September and November 2021.

The Eddleston brothers took 11 of the vehicles then drove them to an Essex chop shop in a ‘get-rich’ scheme. The brothers were arrested at their home in Union Street, Hanley, on November 25, 2021. A search discovered a key fob and a device capable of starting cars.

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One of the cars stolen by the Eddleston brothers was a £23,000 Range Rover Evoque stolen from Goms Mill Road in Longton, in the early hours of September 27, 2021. It was later seen in Acton Street, Birches Head, and was driven to Essex on cloned plates on October 5, 2021 and was later sold.

A number of stolen vehicles were found at a garage in Romford, Essex on October 12, 2021, including the Range Rover Evoque. Both defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal and handling stolen goods. Thomas Eddleston also admitted possession of a CS canister.

Jason Holt, mitigating for Samuel, said his client committed the thefts for financial gain. Mr Holt said: “He has served prison time for supplying drugs and did not want to go back to that type of behaviour.

“But when released he found every door was closed to him. He was unable to get employment. He was left in a situation where nobody wanted to help him. He did try to work in car sales but his mental health was such that he was unable to deal with the general public.”

But Mr Holt added: “There is now a very real prospect of rehabilitation. He shows remorse. There would be harmful impact on his partner and new-born son if he went to prison.”

Stuart Muldoon, representing Thomas, said: “He accepts he believed this was a get-rich scheme. There was some financial benefit. It was limited. Most of the vehicles were recovered a few days after they were taken.

“A significant time has elapsed without him committing further offending. He is adamant this is going to be his last appearance before any court. He has tried to turn things around and has committed no further offences.”

Judge Graeme Smith told the brothers: “This was a sophisticated conspiracy. It involved devices which programmed key fobs to enable the vehicles to be taken. They were taken from a wide geographical area, from Stoke-on-Trent, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

“You both knew full well what you were doing. You took a conscious decision to act in this way, in the knowledge it was highly illegal. Your roles were significant.”

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