Man, 24, pleads guilty to conspiracy to steal £400k worth of vehicles across Black Country
A man has pleaded guilty to a large conspiracy to steal vehicles across the Black Country.
Keltonjay Martin was involved in the theft of more than a dozen cars totalling over £400,000 between April and May 2023.
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A lengthy investigation was launched by West Midlands Police following a spate of car thefts across the Black Country during that period of time.
Following investigative work including digital forensics, and reviewing CCTV footage, officers identified Martin as being involved.
Detectives found that Martin would communicate with others in a group chat where he would discuss sourcing items to steal motor vehicles, and then complete reconnaissance at locations where he planned to carry out the vehicle thefts. He would later return to steal the targeted vehicles.
Martin was arrested on June 1 in 2023, and his vehicle was seized following examinations which found that it had been stolen and modified to change its disguise to hide the fact that it had been stolen.
After carrying out the multiple vehicle thefts, Martin would take photos and videos of the cars and offer them out for sale in a group chat.
The 24-year-old was charged with conspiracy to steal motor vehicles which included the series of thefts and pleaded guilty last Friday at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Martin, of Swancote Road, Dudley, will be sentenced in April.
Footage retrieved from Martin's phone found that he would film himself discussing vehicles that he planned to target, and could be heard in one video saying, "I'll house burgle that", when pointing out a black SUV.
Sergeant Matt Price, from West Midlands Police, said: "Martin was prolific in stealing people's cars across the Black Country, using multiple methods.
"Thankfully, following investigative work and help from the community, we were able to identify Martin as the offender and lock him up.
"Martin will be sentenced after causing distress to victims. We understand how inconvenient and distressing vehicle crime is, and how it can prevent people from carrying out their daily life."
