Yahoo News Man, 23, who ran multi-million pound stolen car ring jailed after filming himself in luxury vehicles
Oliver Cooper, 23, of Birmingham, handled over 30 stolen high-end vehicles valued at £4 million.
A man involved in a multi-million pound stolen car ring has been jailed after filming himself behind the wheel of a luxury vehicle he had taken.
Oliver Cooper, 23, handled over 30 stolen high-end vehicles valued at £4 million in less than a year during a crime spree in the Midlands.
He was caught after posing in a video selfie while driving a £55,000 Range Rover Sport, stolen from a busy Birmingham retail park.
Cooper, of Northfield, Birmingham, admitted conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to handle stolen goods and was jailed for six years and eight months at Birmingham Crown Court on 8 August.
CCTV footage captured Cooper getting out of the passenger side of a stolen Ford Fiesta and breaking into the Range Rover on 27 January 2021.
He then drove off in the Range Rover, and the Ford Fiesta was seen following in convoy.
The high-end vehicle was recovered 30 minutes after it had been taken, and at some point, Cooper filmed the selfie.
Over a week later, on 8 February, officers pursued Cooper in a car chase through Birmingham city centre.
He sprinted from the identical-looking Ford Fiesta and ran down the stairs of the Bullring shopping centre.
CCTV footage of the high-speed pursuit led to police identifying Cooper, aided by Birmingham City Council's cameras.
West Midlands Police arrested him at his home in Sylvan Avenue, Northfield, on 1 September 2021, and two phones were seized and analysed.
Videos, messages and images revealed Cooper had been on a crime spree targeting dozens of high-performance cars across Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell.
The ring he was involved in stole 17 Ranger Rovers, 14 Audis, Jaguars and Mercedes.
On one occasion, the owners of two Audis were threatened at knifepoint to hand over the keys in their own home.
West Midlands Police have recovered and returned some cars to their owners.
Further defendants are expected to appear before a judge in relation to the car theft gang.
DC Miller, from the Force Priorities and Vulnerabilities Team who led the investigation said: “They (Cooper’s mobile phone footage) proved a goldmine for us and was vital at helping us identify the stolen vehicles, and in some cases being able to reunite them with their owners.”
