Thieves targeting trendy £700 Land Rover headlights in West Midlands

Vehicles in the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Shropshire have all been targeted by thieves, with four Land Rover Discovery models attacked on one night alone in Stafford.

The lights are worth at least £700 each.

Simon Cooper, chairman of the Staffordshire and Shropshire Land Rover Club, which has 250 members across the counties, said: "Land Rovers are frequently targeted.

"We get members reporting that their cars have been targeted but it usually the older Defender types because the new vehicles are a lot harder to steal from. What I am surprised about is how they actually managed to get the lights out.

"You have to get under the bonnet and it is fiddly at the best of times. But if they want it that badly they seem to have ways of getting it.

"I had a friend have an entire exhaust system worth £3,000 taken. It is unbelievable."

Staffordshire Police confirmed that they were investigating the four thefts in Stafford and said they were aware of similar crimes elsewhere in the West Midlands. Earlier this year three Land Rovers were targeted in Bridgnorth.

Mr Cooper added: "The headlights on the new type Discovery and Range Rover are LEDs and a very expensive piece of kit."

The new Land Rover features a metal concentric circle headlamp design with Xenon bulbs and LEDs.

Suspicious

Stafford borough councillor Peter Jones said: "Any suspicious activity should be reported to the police immediately."

Anyone with information can call the police by ringing 101, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.