sulyka Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 The following is a report in The Connexion, an English language newspaper in France. Good to see our Gendarmes are taking it seriously. April 22, 2016 Two hundred and eighty stolen campervans have been recovered in a major investigation involving 1,800 gendarmes. It is estimated that the recovered vehicles are worth about 11million. The investigation uncovered widespread use of a scam involving stealing new or nearly new motorhomes and re-registering them with a different carte grise registration document, making the theft difficult to trace. Buying old vans, they used the carte grise and fraudulent paperwork to pretend they had been renovated and gave their identities to the stolen campervans before burning the old van. The investigation started with thefts of four campervans in Manche in 2013, and police noticed it was a crime which was rising steeply nationwide campervan thefts tripled in the five years from 2010 to 2015. Police do not think a single gang was responsible and are still looking into how the fraud spread across France (91 departments are involved so far). About 30 people have been questioned and some prosecutions are already under way with inquiries continuing across France. Hundreds of gendarmes were involved - plus a total of 128 procureurs (senior state legal officials linked to each tribunal de grande instance court) out of the 165 in France. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Grump Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 And all in a country where caravan and motorhome registration is compulsory? Makes you wonder. ...... Still, well done to the Gendarmes. Grump 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 And all in a country where caravan and motorhome registration is compulsory? Makes you wonder. ...... Still, well done to the Gendarmes. Grump They were ringing the vehicles or in other terms stealing the identity of older vehicles then destroying the original older vehicle . Common practice in some vehicles thefts . Dave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beejay Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 They were ringing the vehicles or in other terms stealing the identity of older vehicles then destroying the original older vehicle . Common practice in some vehicles thefts . Dave Why does it involve re-registration if the donor/older vehicle registration is used on the stolen/ringed vehicle? Presumably, the Contrôle Technique (MoT) legally required on the sale of the ringer revealed a little more than 'renovation' was involved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 (edited) Why does it involve re-registration if the donor/older vehicle registration is used on the stolen/ringed vehicle? Presumably, the Contrôle Technique (MoT) legally required on the sale of the ringer revealed a little more than 'renovation' was involved? Vehicles today have security to try and stop vehicles being transferred identities which involves usually cutting and rewelding vin plates and changing engine numbers . It makes it far easier to have someone inside altering paperwork to suit for reg and testing . We had the same here a few years ago with a DVLA employee and thieves with expensive cars. Dave Edited April 22, 2016 by CommanderDave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Edge Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Any one caught will escape whilst on bail. The police will shrug their shoulders and everything will be carry on as normal. Its France after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Plodd Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Any one caught will escape whilst on bail. The police will shrug their shoulders and everything will be carry on as normal. Its France afterall. Cynical, you??? Not really, just realistic I think, we all know the French attitude to legal matters don't we. Andy 1 Quote Experience is something you acquire after you have an urgent need for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beejay Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Cynical, you??? Not really, just realistic I think, we all know the French attitude to legal matters don't we. Andy Et c'est quoi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Et c'est quoi? Leur opinion est détendue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Cynical, you??? Not really, just realistic I think, we all know the French attitude to legal matters don't we. Andy A more cynical point of view may well be, at least they investigated which seems not to be the case in the UK, though it is noted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Townie Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Agreed. Then you're told "This is your crime number, now you can claim on your insurance." A more cynical point of view may well be, at least they investigated which seems not to be the case in the UK, though it is noted Mike. Quote 2014 SsangYong Rexton W towing a 2017 Sprite Major 4EB. (After June 9th). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulyka Posted April 24, 2016 Author Share Posted April 24, 2016 That was really the point of the post in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beejay Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Leur opinion est détendue détendue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KNARF Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 détendue? Slack/relaxed knarf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beejay Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Slack/relaxed knarf I know the meaning but the context seemed odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonjosar Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Sounds familiar. There was a similar operation over here in Northern Ireland about 8 years ago. Members of a certain ethnic minority group found all over the world discovered that if an old knackered or accident damaged vehicle was acquired, it was easy to steal a similar camper/motorhome based on the same model- usually Citroens or Fiats etc. The accident damaged vehicles identity was then "rung" onto the stolen motorhome, a new V5 applied for which included a change of use and hey presto, instant new motorhome for sale. There was no requirement for this newly "converted" vehicle to be examined or produced to any authority. There was no mention of this change of use anywhere on the V5. Loads of them started turning up and i remember in one case that i read about as its sticks out in my mind where the original vehicle was a Citroen panel van but its identity found its way onto a tag axle Hymer. Fine bit of home workmanship there. Quote Sterling Elite Emerald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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