Two jailed over criminal enterprise where 'stolen to order' motorbikes were shipped to Trinidad and Tobago

“Professional and sophisticated”: the enterprise saw motorbikes stolen to order and shipped to the Caribbean
City of London Police
Undefined26 July 2016
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Two men have been jailed for their part in a “professional and sophisticated” enterprise that saw motorbikes stolen to order and shipped to the Caribbean.

Ellis Thomas, 33, of Charnwood Gardens, Isle of Dogs and Mario White, 47, of Severn Way, Harlesden were caught following an investigation by City of London Police.

Thomas, the kingpin of the operation, was sentenced to six years and four years for two counts of conspiracy, to be served concurrently.

He was arrested at his home address on October 2 last year, and twelve stolen motorcycles were seized by City of London Police.

Officers had recovered two new BMW S1000RR vehicles recovered from Portsmouth Docks, due to be shipped to Trinidad, which had earlier been stolen as part of a high-value commercial burglary in Essex.

Kingpin: Ellis Thomas, 33, a company director from the Isle of Dogs was jailed for more than six year
City of London Police

In total, more than £100,000 worth of stolen vehicles have been attributed to Thomas’ criminal enterprise, with fifty vehicles detailed in evidence during the trial, many of which remain unidentified and unrecovered.

The court heard how Thomas operated a fixed-price structure for stolen motorcycles, based on the age and cubic capacity (cc) of the vehicles offered.

He was in constant communication with thieves and couriers, who would regularly provide information on which stolen bikes were “available” at any one time.

The court heard evidence that showed Thomas, the former Director of ECU Master and current owner of Crazy Custom Quads, who primarily conducted his criminality from Baldwin’s Farm, Essex, had the capability to have vehicles stolen to “order”.

City of London Police began investigating Thomas and his operations after witnessing an increasing trend of motorcycle thefts across the City in 2014, leading to the execution of warrants.

Jailed: Mario White was jailed for two years, having previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to handle stolen goods and one count of possession of a taser
City of London Police

His associate Mario White was jailed for two years, having previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to handle stolen goods and one count of possession of a taser.

City of London Police Detective Constable Steve Weller said: “Ellis Thomas was at the heart of an organised criminal group that was responsible for the theft and handling of motorcycles, primarily superbikes.

"Thomas acted as a middleman between the thieves and any prospective buyers, becoming a pivotal node within the regional motorcycle crime network.

"Thomas used his expertise in re-programming the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to mobilise vehicles stolen without their keys.

"Thomas was able to offer stolen motorbikes for export or resale, at a substantial undervalue, by defeating the security measures put in place by the manufacturers to mitigate this illegal trade.

“Thomas’ imprisonment removes his expertise from circulation, frustrating those who seek to reprogramme ECUs for unlawful reasons. The reduction of mobilised stolen vehicles in the marketplace will inhibit further motorcycle and moped borne criminality.

“Mario White was a criminal associate, who acted as an intermediary between Thomas and the international exportation of vehicles, primarily to Trinidad and Tobago.”

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