Hugh Bradley, 31, from Sutton Coldfield, has been sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that saw over £650,000 worth of luxury cars stolen across the UK.
Also known as Hughie Bradley or Hughie Das, the defendant purchased relay kits from contacts in Poland, enabling him to start high-end vehicles without keys, according to West Midlands Police. The stolen cars were moved to sites in Essex, with plans to ship them to African countries.
Bradley was sentenced on 30 May at Birmingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and conspiracy to handle stolen goods. His involvement was uncovered through CCTV footage showing him driving in convoy with some of the stolen cars using his own VW Golf.
Investigators, working with Essex and Hertfordshire Police, valued the total of the stolen vehicles at £654,664. Bradley had filmed himself scouting luxury SUVs and used Snapchat to coordinate sales with criminal associates.
Digital evidence revealed he paid £25,000 for one of the Polish relay kits. He was also spotted performing reconnaissance on homes where expensive vehicles were parked.
The court sentenced Bradley to:
Six years and nine months for conspiracy to handle stolen goods
Six years for two counts of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles, with four years to run concurrently
Police said the case highlights the growing use of relay theft technology in organized car crime networks, and the role of social media in coordinating such operations.
