Car thief jailed for stealing luxury vehicles worth over £171,500

A prolific car thief who targeted homes in Surrey and south London has been jailed for stealing luxury vehicles worth over £171,500. Liam Carroll, 22 (DOB: 02/05/2004) of Wallington, was sentenced to two years and 11 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to six counts of theft of a motor vehicle, four counts of burglary, and one count of attempted burglary with intent to steal.

Between July 2024 and October 2025, Carroll carried out a series of burglaries. The first took place in Fetcham on the early morning of July 2024, where he entered a property and stole the keys to a Mercedes GLB worth over £30,000. The vehicle was recovered in Ashtead, and forensic officers found Carroll's fingerprint inside the targeted address, directly linking him to the burglary.

In September 2024, Carroll burgled a property in Tadworth, stealing the keys to a grey BMW 520D, along with two wallets containing the victims' bank cards and driving licences. Further investigation revealed that Carroll had been caught on CCTV driving the stolen BMW. His mobile phone analysis also showed videos of him posing alongside another stolen BMW – a 320D worth approximately £24,500 – which was stolen from an address in Purley, South Croydon. This vehicle has never been recovered.

Carroll's crime spree continued with the theft of a Porsche 911 worth over £65,000 from a property in Sutton. Although the vehicle was not recovered, officers found the broken door lock during a search of Carroll's home, linking him to the offence. He also entered a property in Cheam through unlocked rear doors while the victim was asleep inside, stealing the keys to a BMW i5 Touring M Sport worth over £23,000 before driving away.

CCTV captured Carroll leaving the scene in the stolen vehicle, and the victim's tracking system enabled officers to locate and recover the car a short time later after it had been abandoned in Russell Hill, Purley. The investigation involved forensic evidence, CCTV, digital evidence, and meticulous investigative work to build a compelling case.

Investigation officer PC Joe Brown said: "Carroll repeatedly targeted people's homes, stealing vehicles that victims had worked hard to own and leaving them with the lasting impact of having their homes burgled. This was a complex investigation involving forensic evidence, CCTV, digital evidence, and meticulous investigative work to build a compelling case. Every piece of evidence played an important role in demonstrating the full extent of Carroll's offending."

Carroll was ordered to pay £228.00 in costs. The police remain committed to pursuing those responsible for acquisitive crime, no matter how determined they are to avoid justice.