High-vis sneak thief stole BMWs and Range Rovers worth over £250,000 that ‘disappeared’ during three-month spree

Conrad Williams wore the fluorescent clothing to give him an “air of legitimacy”, Leeds Crown Court was told, as he stole BMWs and Range Rovers from outside of businesses in Leeds, Bradford, Normanton, Knottingley and Huddersfield.

The 29-year-old had a recurring method to steal – that he would arrive at the scene in a Ford Transit on cloned plates, enter the company premises and either steal the keys if nobody was around, or convince workers he was there to collect the vehicle. Most vehicles taken were not recovered.

While he was able to convince some workers, his high-vis vest became a trademark of his crimes and allowed the police to eventually tie him to 10 thefts.

He was jailed for five years and three months this week, and Judge Simon Batiste told him: “They were clearly targeted and planned offences. They were high-value cars many of which were never recovered.

"The obvious inference is that they were ordered and sold on. Your modus operandi was to enter premises in a brazen manner, saying you were there for legitimate reasons and either asked for or stole the keys to take the vehicles. You wore the high-vis jacket to give you an air of legitimacy.”

Prosecuting the case, Stephanie Hollis said the thefts began on August 19, 2020, when Williams and a second man went to Motorhog in Leeds and spoke with the salesman about buying a van. While Williams kept him talking, the second male sneaked into the office and stole the keys to a £25,000 Mitsubishi. Williams returned later and stole the vehicle, and was spotted on CCTV in his high-vis coat.

On September 18, 2020, a woman had left her Range Rover at a valeting firm in Knottingley, but Williams later turned up and convinced them he was the woman’s brother and was there to collect the 4x4. He was given the keys and drove off. He was later identified and arrested, but gave no comments. He was released on bail.

On October 26, he continued his thieving campaign after entering the Aneal Business Centre in Cross Green, Leeds. He asked about possible job opportunities. He returned 10 minutes later and said he had misplaced his keys, and while the staff briefly left to inquire about the alleged missing keys, he stole the keys to a £70,000 Range Rover and took off.

Two days later he entered Farnell Land Rover in Bradford, where he was able to steal keys to a £41,000 Land Rover Discovery and returned later to take the vehicle. Again he was wearing his distinctive jacket.

On October 31 Williams then targeted Ryebrook Jaguar in Huddersfield, and was able to convince staff he was there to collect £36,500 Range Rover that was being valeted. The vehicle was never recovered.

On November 10, he went to Balfour Beatty in Leeds in the Ford Transit and entered the office while staff were temporarily distracted. Still wearing his high-vis jacket, he stole two sets of keys for a Toyota Hilux and a Volvo. He first drove off in the £18,500 Toyota, then half an hour later returned and took the £5,600 Volvo.

Two days later Williams targeted Stratstone BMW in Wortley where staff reported his suspicious behaviour after entering the workshop. Once again he had arrived in the Ford Transit van in his jacket. He was seen trying to get into a secure key cabinet but left emptyhanded.

Later that day he went to and industrial estate in Normanton in Wakefield and sneaked into an office of an auction company where he took the keys to an £18,000 BMW. He left but returned half an hour later to drive off in the car.

In Goole on December 1, 2020, he targeted a flooring company when he entered the premises and began asking about a delivery depot nearby. On this occasion he managed to get the keys to a £39,000 Mitsubishi.

Finally, Williams then returned to Stratstone in Wortley on December 2, 2020 and convinced staff he was there to collect a BMW 1 Series that was being valeted, before being handed the keys.

Appearing in court via video link from HMP Wealstun, he admitted 17 offences in total, including multiple thefts of keys and vehicle, fraud and trespassing with an intent to steal.

The value of eight of the vehicles stolen came to £254,000, but this did not include two pf the other vehicles for which the values were never ascertained.

He has 39 previous convictions for 70 offences, including 15 counts of fraud, 28 for theft, five commercial burglaries and two house burglaries. He is currently serving a 25-month sentence for fraud after he targeted an elderly resident and insisted they needed work carrying out on their home.

Little mitigation was offered by his barrister, Andrew Stranex who conceded that his best mitigation was perhaps his guilty pleas. Judge Batiste pointed out that many of the crimes involved a second person who was often driving the Ford Transit van, giving Williams the opportunity to drive away in convoy following the van in the stolen cars.

A second person was arrested and is expected to stand trial at a later date.

Williams, Keighley Road, Skipton, was told that his his sentence for the thefts would not begin until he reached the end of his current sentence.