On September 28, officers from the Criminal Section of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Wrocław arrested five men aged 30–50 in a town near Nowogrodziec. In a barn, they found four stolen cars. The officers also recovered a complete set of license plates, which had also been stolen.
That same day, police found two more stolen cars, a BMW and an Audi, in one of Wrocław’s parking lots. The following day, officers searched a flat rented in Wrocław by one of the detainees. They found:
- 3 sets of forged documents (identity cards and driving licenses), which the perpetrators used to sell approximately 250 stolen cars
- number plates originating from 16 cars stolen by the group under investigation
- 6 sets of license plates stolen in the Wrocław area
- personalized stamps used to legalize cars obtained through criminal activity
- 16 vehicle identification plates
- car purchase and sale agreements that may enable the further recovery of stolen vehicles
- two forged registration certificates and a typewriter used to fill out registration certificates
The criminals stole cars in Lower Silesia. After altering them, they sold them at a “bargain price” to buyers from across Poland. The group was divided into those who stole license plates, those who stole cars and altered the documents and vehicles, and those who sold them by placing advertisements in the press and on the Internet.
Police determined that the group had been engaged in criminal activity for two years, stealing and “legalizing” approximately 250 cars during that period, with a total value of more than PLN 1 million. Police have already located approximately 80 cars across Poland.
Four of the men were remanded in custody for three months, while one was placed under police supervision. All those arrested face up to eight years in prison.