Prolific thieves stole Ford Fiestas across west Kent and beyond

A criminal network linked to the theft of Ford Fiestas has been dismantled after police identified a chop shop operating near Tunbridge Wells. Two men have now been jailed after stealing at least eight of the cars in just five months, from areas across Kent.

Harley Webb and Callum Burren were responsible for a crime spree between July and November 2024, when they stole the vehicles from outside victims’ homes and car parks. The pair entered keyless Fiestas, by bypassing security systems using an on-board diagnostics tool. They targeted cars mainly in locations around Tunbridge Wells but also committed offences in areas including Gravesend and Ramsgate.

Chop shop

Investigating officers identified an industrial site near Bedgebury Pinetum where the stolen vehicles were suspected to have been taken and dismantled for spare parts. Webb was arrested at the site on 15 November and searches led to the recovery of stolen vehicles and parts. A machine used to manufacture vehicle number plates was also seized. A few weeks later, Burren was also tracked down and detained. Both men were charged and immediately remanded in prison.

Guilty of conspiracy 

At Maidstone Crown Court, Webb, 36, from Tunbridge Wells pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. Burren, 24, from Newmarket, Suffolk told police during interviews that he had acted under duress, including threats. He went on to admit charges of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles, as well as further counts linked to driving without a licence or insurance.

On 20 October 2025, Webb was sentenced to a year and ten months’ imprisonment. Burren was jailed for a year and three months.

Detective Constable Mike Kingwell said:

‘Webb and Burren were responsible for a huge surge in the theft of Ford Fiestas, which are no longer produced and often targeted by thieves for their spare parts. They used sophisticated methods to enter and start the vehicles, striking across multiple towns and communities and causing distress, financial loss and disruption to multiple victims. Whilst it is pleasing that our work has led to the collapse of their criminal enterprise, we continue to urge owners to ramp up their own security methods to keep their cars safe, including a mix of modern and traditional security deterrents like crook locks and wheel clamps. Using tracking technology will also significantly help police quickly close the net on thieves and return stolen vehicles to their rightful owner.’