Overview
- The two defendants, Aurimas Sarkis and Ignas Kisskiss, admitted conspiring to steal 25 high-value cars and were jailed at St Albans Crown Court on Wednesday, 24 June 2026.
- Police say the thefts took place between October and December 2025 across Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire and involved Audis, BMWs and Mercedes worth more than £600,000 in total.
- Investigators linked the pair to the crimes using automatic number plate recognition, mobile phone records and GPS data from a tag worn by one defendant, evidence that led to their admissions and convictions.
- The offenders used a relay‑attack technique that captures the radio signal from a key fob near a home and relays it to a device by the car to unlock doors and start the engine without the physical key.
- Motoring bodies and manufacturers have urged practical steps to reduce risk, including storing keys in signal‑blocking pouches, fitting visible physical deterrents such as steering locks, installing tracking or immobilisers, and keeping vehicle software up to date.