THREE Barnsley men who stole a number of high-value cars after arranging test drives have been jailed following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Ernest Moate, 61, of Milnes Street, Richard MacInnes, 38, of Sheffield Road, both in Barnsley, and Daniel Banks, 24, of Wakefield Road, Staincross, were part of a gang which targeted dealers and private sellers to steal 23 new and second-hand cars worth almost £300,000.
They would arrange test drives in secluded areas before stealing the cars after distracting salesmen or the owners.
The cars taken by the gang were then stripped down for parts. Only three were recovered.
The gang was caught when a Land Rover which had been fitted with a tracking device was traced by police to a garage belonging to Banks within half an hour of it being stolen.
It was already being stripped down and the bonnet and doors were missing.
Other cars which had been stolen included an Audi A3, a Mitsubishi LC200, a Mercedes C220 sports car, a Mitsubishi Barbarian, a BMW S3, a Vauxhall Insignia and an Audi Quattro S3.
They were taken from dealers and private sellers in Huddersfield, Pontefract, Dewsbury, Wakefield, Sheffield, Midgley, Harrogate, Darton, York and Holmfirth.
Ringleader Moate, described in court as a 'professional criminal', was jailed for five-and-a-half years after he was convicted of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.
MacInnes was jailed for two years and four months for conspiracy to steal vehicles and failing to attend court, and Banks was jailed for 18 months for handling stolen vehicles.
