Steven and Jonathon Fiddimore have been jailed for conspiracy to steal high value cars

by Keith Hunt

Two men have been jailed for their part in a conspiracy to steal high value cars in the south east and sell the parts on an auction website.

The gang were involved in the theft of 37 cars worth over £700,000, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

Jonathon Fiddimore, of Shearwater, New Barn, Longfield, was sentenced to four years nine months and his brother Steven, of Bridge Road, Erith, to four-and-a-half years.

Jonathon Fiddimore, 31, admitted conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property after his trial started in April.

Steven Fiddimore - also known as David Brown - admitted the charge as well as money laundering.

Peter Gregory, 32, of St Mary’s Road, Swanley, also admitted the conspiracy offence.

He was sentenced to a community order with two years' supervision after Judge Michael Carroll said he was in a different category to the others.

Gary Pons, prosecuting, said the cars were stolen during burglaries or from car parks between January 2010 and May last year, despite having alarms and tracking devices.

They were then dismantled and sold on eBay.

The Fiddimores were jailed at Maidstone Crown Court

The criminal enterprise was discovered after there was a fire at a former chicken shed at Maple Bank Farm, in Farningham, in January 2010.

Mr Pons said the blaze was caused by a fuel line of a stolen BMW being cut while it was being "worked on".

Firefighters and police were called and found burnt-out parts from five stolen cars.

Mr Pons said Jonathon Fiddimore and Daniel McKernan, 27, were seen in the area afterwards checking on how much damage was caused.

The investigation also led officers to another batch of stolen cars at industrial units in Chelsfield, Orpington, and parts at a garage in Anne of Cleves Road, Dartford.

Of the £120,000 Steven Fiddimore received from parts, it was agreed £60,000 represented the proceeds of crime.

"This is a sophisticated criminal enterprise," said the prosecutor. "It is resilient because of the time it is carried on for."

The judge warned Gregory if he breached the order he was facing 15 months' jail.

Sentence was adjourned on McKernan, of Ellenborough Road, Sidcup, until July 19 after the judge heard he had missed an appointment with probation because he was mugged.

Judge Carroll said the offence was commonly known as handling stolen vehicle parts. The Fiddimore brothers, he said, played a leading role.

"This was organised crime and that is why the sentences will reflect the seriousness of the criminality," he said. "A large number of vehicles were stolen in a number of ways."