Rural Crime Team Recover Stolen Car and Caravan with Two Offenders Arrested

Whilst out patrolling on a late night/early morning shift in the Shipston on Stour area, at around midnight, the Rural Crime Team noticed a vehicle of interest parked in a layby off the Fosse Way. The vehicle appeared to be warm and had inside it items possibly used by offenders to commit crime.  At around the same time the officers came across a Mercedes-Benz C200 that appeared to be abandoned in a gateway near Shipston.  On checking the vehicle registration and VIN it was confirmed to be a stolen vehicle, taken from a village in Gloucestershire the day before, following a car key burglary.

While waiting for the recovery trucks to arrive, the officers noticed some tracks in the field next to where the car had been abandoned.  They arranged for a police dog and handler to attend the scene and track from the stolen car, in the hope a suspect might still be nearby.

The dog picked up a scent and led the officers to a nearby property with the dog indicating towards a specific caravan at the location.

With the assistance of response and OPU officers, two males were arrested on suspicion of burglary.  Whilst searching the caravan for items relating to the burglary, it was discovered that the caravan itself was stolen from Banbury, Oxfordshire in 2016.

The car was seized for a full forensic inspection along with the caravan.

One suspect has been charged with two offences including burglary by Gloucestershire Police. The suspect was remanded into custody to be put before the court as soon as possible.