Bentley car ‘theft’ man on fraud rap
It’s claimed motor was shipped abroad
A MAN has been charged with fraud after reporting a £55,000 Bentley stolen when it had allegedly been shipped to Pakistan.
The 34-year-old claimed the luxury Bentley Continental had been snatched during a raid at an address in the Liberton area of Edinburgh.
The apparent theft was reported on May 26.
But officers investigating the incident allegedly traced the Bentley to a shipping container which had left London 22 days earlier.
The “theft” was reported on the same day the container allegedly docked in Pakistan.
Now, the accused has been charged with fraud and wasting police time following the five-month inquiry.
A police spokeswoman said: “It was established that no crime had taken place in relation to the car being taken.
“Following continued investigation by the community investigation unit, a 34-year-old man was charged and will appear in court at a later date.”
It has become increasingly common in recent years for stolen high-end cars to be shipped abroad by crime gangs. We told previously how gangsters used UK harbours to ship stolen cars all over the world.
In October 2014, officers raided 12 ports including Grangemouth and seized 44 vehicles being smuggled overseas.
The £1.2million haul included a gold Porsche Cayenne Turbo stolen in Aberdeen and a Ford Ranger from Elgin, as well as BMWs, Range Rovers and even an excavator.