A MAN from High Wycombe has been ordered to hand over more than £100,000 after he was accused of being involved in a car ringing network.

On Thursday, the High Court ordered Carlos Layne, 39, of Magnolia Dene, Terriers, to pay £100,940 to the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) which told the court he had acquired properties, vehicles, businesses and money unlawfully.

An ARA investigation said although Mr Layne had owned businesses, including a car rental company, Prestige Cars, it was not possible to identify a legitimate source of income in keeping with several large sums of cash that passed through his bank accounts.

Mr Layne and several of his associates were arrested in January 2004 for various offences including burglary, handling stolen goods and conspiracy at the end of a surveillance operation into a suspected car ringing network.

Although several associates were charged, there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Layne with any offence.

Details of those offences involved the replacing the number plates and engine numbers on stolen cars with the details of other vehicles in order to be shipped abroad or sold through trading magazines to unsuspecting private buyers.

Thames Valley Police referred Mr Layne's case to the ARA to be investigated and considered for civil recovery.

The agency was created by the Government in 2002 and given powers to seek civil recovery of proceeds obtained unlawfully.