…By Larry John for TDPel Media.
Alan Powell, a 51-year-old company director, had his £105,000 Range Rover Sport SVR stolen from Luton Airport Priority Parking while on holiday with his wife and mother-in-law in Spain.
The car was stolen on April 10, and the tracker had been removed before Powell was alerted to the theft the following day.
By then, the car had already been driven for over 50 miles.
Car Keys Cloned
Powell claimed that he had to inform the car park that his car had disappeared before they were aware it had gone missing.
He was then informed by the police that the car’s keys had been cloned, and the vehicle may have been shipped abroad by the thieves already.
After receiving notification of the theft, Powell contacted Bedfordshire Police, who worked with Land Rover to track the vehicle to Stebondale Street in East London, approximately 54 miles away from the priority car park.
Car Mysteriously Vanished
When the police went to investigate, they could not locate the vehicle.
Land Rover continues to provide daily checks on the tracker for outstanding vehicles, but so far, there has been no response from Powell’s car.
Powell has been left without a car and has been told by the police that they do not expect to find his Range Rover.
Firm that Owns the Car Park
APCOA, the firm that owns the car park, has stated that theft of high-value luxury vehicles via key cloning is a well-documented issue.
APCOA takes the security of vehicles parked in its car parks very seriously and has several measures in place, including CCTV, number plate recognition cameras, and regular patrols by parking staff, airport security, and police.
Additionally, vehicle keys are stored securely.
APCOA has been in contact with Mr Powell to provide information and support and is assisting the police investigation.
Nightmare Experience
Powell criticised the airport car park’s attitude, saying that he wouldn’t be upset if he left the car in any old car park, but because he left it with the official car park, that’s why he’s upset.
His insurance company has provided him with a car for 14 days, but Powell said, “From the second day of my holiday, it’s been a nightmare.”
Commentary:
This news report highlights the unfortunate experience of a man whose luxury car was stolen while on holiday, despite being parked in a priority car park.
The incident raises concerns about the security of airport car parks and the ease with which thieves can clone car keys.
It is a reminder for car owners to be vigilant and take precautions to protect their vehicles, even when parked in official car parks.
Additionally, the story shows the importance of adequate security measures, such as CCTV, number plate recognition cameras, and regular patrols, in preventing car thefts.