Car thieves in Leeds were caught after flaunting the stolen vehicles on instagram

A gang of thieves expecting to drive off into the sunset with their stolen cars were caught out by police after posing with the vehicles on social media. The thieves used emojis to conceal their faces in an attempt to hide their identity.

Despite this attempt to evade detection, the police were able to find unedited versions of the pictures on one of the suspect’s phones, proving their involvement in the crime.

Finding the unedited pictures proved to be a vital piece of evidence for West Yorkshire police who were investigating the theft of £568,000 worth of luxury cars in the city.

The group of thieves created an Instagram account called "Mr Dingers." "Dinger" is a slang term for a stolen car and is used by similar accounts across the country to flaunt stolen vehicles.

The Instagram page included a video of the group driving around in a stolen Audi while brandishing the mole grip pliers used to break into homes and steal the car keys. The video received 33,000 views and was found on one of the seized phones.

Stolen goods include a £60,000 Audi A6 and a £30,000 Seat Leon FR taken from Woodlesford, West Yorkshire.

Naheem Khan, the acting Detective Inspector for West Yorkshire Police said:

"It is clear from the way they bragged about their offences on social media [that] these offenders had absolute contempt for their victims."

Frankie Allwork, James Holroyd, and Bryn Kerry

Frankie Allwork, 21, James Holroyd and Bryn Kerry, both 20, admitted to burglary and car theft charges at Leeds Crown Court and received sentences from 32 months to four years and six months.

Allwork, who received the largest sentence of the group, admitted to a further burglary of a £100,000 Mercedes taken from the Leeds village of Scholes in January. DNA evidence found on a flicked cigarette in the garden of one victim further linked Allwork to the crime.

Allwork will face four years and six months at a young offenders’ institute for his crimes. Holroyd was sentenced to 34 months and Kerry was sentenced to 32 months, for their involvement.

Image Credit: West Yorkshire Police