A man from Marlow was found guilty of stealing a Range Rover as members of an international organised crime gang are jailed.

Stephen Chromik, 60, of Bobmore Lane, who was part of an organised crime group, is awaiting sentencing. 

Meanwhile, six men who were supplying and exporting stolen vehicles to northern Cyprus have been jailed for a total of 20 years. 

The gang carried out their crimes by removing tracking devices, re-registering vehicles, and using fake licence plates to avoid detection.

READ MORE: Vulnerable woman has purse stolen - man charged

The investigation was led by the City of London Police, with detectives identifying more than 120 stolen vehicles linked to the organised crime group - with losses to the industry of around £5 million.

The men got their hands on high-value cars in the UK through fraud crimes such as identity fraud, fraudulent insurance claims, and the sale of vehicles belonging to finance companies.

And over a 14-month period, the City of London Police seized a number of cars that were destined to be sold by the gang.

These included two Audi Q7s worth £80,000 each, two Range Rover Velars worth £60,000 each, a Range Rover Vogue worth £40,000, two BMW 5 series worth £40,000 each, and a Mercedes AMG worth £40,000.

Chromik was found guilty of stealing a Range Rover and will be handed a sentence in August 2020. 

He was acquitted on charges of fraud and theft of a Porsche. 

In all, the rest of the group were sentenced to 20 years in total:

• Dervish Chaglar, 48, of Millharbour, Tower Hamlets, was sentenced to six years for conspiracy to handle stolen goods, at Southwark Crown Court on November 21, 2019, after a trial.

• Mert Isik, 29, of Newington Green Road, Islington, was sentenced to four years for conspiracy to handle stolen goods, at Southwark Crown Court on November 21, 2019, after a trial.

READ MORE: House entered illegally on quiet street as ANOTHER burglary rocks High Wycombe

• Martin Woodhouse, 63, of Grasmere Gardens, Harrow, was sentenced to a total of six years for the theft of an Audi Q7 S Line and two Range Rover Velars, at Southwark Crown Court on November 21, 2019, after a trial.

• Mansha Khan, 50, of Mauldeth Road West, Manchester, pleaded guilty to the offence of handling stolen goods and was sentenced to one year, suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work, at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, June 29, 2020.

• Bradley Young, 40, of Loring Road, Barnet, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work, for the theft of a Range Rover and fraud by false representation, at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, June 29, 2020.

READ MORE: Diamond and sapphire ring stolen from house as homeowners were in the garden

• Ali Duman, 28, of Milton Garden Estate, Stoke Newington, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work, for the theft of a Range Rover and fraud by false representation, at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, June 29, 2020

Detective Constable Barry Butler, from the City of London Police, said: “Serious and organised crime is a huge risk to national and, in this case, international security.

“By disrupting not only the gangs involved, but seizing their criminal assets and frustrating their funding, we have successfully removed an international illicit criminal market that, in all likelihood, was utilised by dangerous criminal groups in the UK.”