The owner of a Land Rover have been reunited with their vehicle a YEAR after it was stolen by criminals and fitted with false plates.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police believe the Land Rover Defender was stolen in Cheshire and then used as part of criminal activity across Greater Manchester.
Using proactive police tactics, the force tracked down the vehicle and the Stolen Vehicle Examination Unit (SVEU), which is based in Eccles, were able to send it back to its owner.
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Officers said the car had been using false number plates and an altered identification number (VIN), with the number falsely identifying as a legitimate Land Rover.
“Our team worked tirelessly and in particular, Dave Murphy and Jason Roberts used their unique set of skills to reveal the Land Rover Defender’s true identity,” Peter Johnson, supervisor of the SVEU, said.
“The hard work we put into something like this makes it all worth it when you can reunite the vehicle with its rightful owner. This kind of job is something that we do on a daily basis here at the SVEU, we have uncovered the real identity of thousands of vehicles that have passed through our workshops, and this is another to add to that list.”
Mr Johnson said the vehicle held sentimental value to the owner, who had carried out a series of customised modifications over 17 years.
“The Defender’s owner was especially pleased to get the vehicle back because he had been in dispute with his insurance company and had not been paid out 12 months on,” he added.
“He had owned the vehicle for more than 17 years and carried out his own custom modifications, so there was a sentimental element attachment to it also. My team worked with the owner and his input helped form part the investigation.”
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