Crime, Dorset, Hampshire | Posted on October 10th, 2025 | return to news

Hampshire gang members who stole 107 vehicles jailed

The organised crime group stole more than £2m-worth of vehicles across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire in 2023.

Members of an organised crime gang which stole £2m-worth of vehicles were jailed on Thursday 9 October.

The gang stole 107 vehicles — mainly high-end cars — across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire between February and October in 2023.

The cars were taken from driveways in the middle of the night while owners were asleep, then stripped for parts at a ‘chop shop’

Five members of the gang, all from Southampton, were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Thursday, following what the judge described as a “remarkable and thorough police investigation” by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

A further seven members of the gang, including Gary Kelly, 38, of Bransgore, Christchurch, William Martin, 24, of Broadstone, Dorset, and Matthew Watkins, 24, of Manor Road in Ringwood —are due to be sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on 21 November.

The court heard that this was a “highly sophisticated commercial operation carried out by an organised crime group”, who used signal boosters to trick keyless ignition vehicles, making it seem as if the vehicle’s key fob was next to the vehicle and allowing it to be unlocked.

The gang also used ‘signal jammers’ to prevent the vehicles from being locked in the first place, with the owner not realising their key fob had not worked. The gang members would then return in the middle of the night to drive the unlocked cars away.

The judge described the thefts as “alarming” and “frightening” to any owners of high-value cars, but praised the police who carried out the investigation.

Speaking after the sentencing, DC Paul Beasley of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: “The vast majority of the vehicles were stolen by these thugs in the middle of the night from driveways as the owners slept.

“The financial hurt caused by this group to so many families is vast, and many of the victims of these thefts have also suffered mental harm from the distress.

“For many people, having their car stolen can completely disrupt their day-to-day lives as these are relied upon so much for their work commutes, school runs, grocery shopping and social lives.

“Our investigation has been extremely thorough. Seven different police forces were involved in some capacity, and my team alone put in more than 12,000 hours to make sure this group was brought to justice.

“I’m proud to say that our efforts have completely dismantled this organised crime group and I hope this serves as a warning to those who think they can just take what other people have worked hard to earn.”

The police are urging vehicle owners to invest in steering or wheel locks from companies which are approved by the official police security initiative Secured by Design: https://www.securedbydesign.com.

The Force also encourages owners of keyless ignition vehicles to keep their key fob away from doors and windows, so their signal does not travel as far, and use Faraday pouches for key fobs, which are used to block the signal from their keys when they are not being used.

For more information and advice about preventative measures to defend against car theft, visit the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary website: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/preventing-car-vehicle-theft.