I've had my £114,000 car stolen four times – but always get it back within half an hour using essential gadget
Tom Jaconelli, 39, was left infuriated after his posh 150mph SUV was taken from outside his house yet again.
5
Tom Jaconelli saw his expensive motor stolen but it wasn't the first time
Credit: Jam Press/Romans International
5
Tom's pricey 2024 Range Rover Sports P550e
Credit: Jam Press/Romans International
5
Tom's clever gadget helped recover his vehicle
Credit: Jam Press/Tom Jaconelli
Doorbell footage showed the director of car dealership Romans International, having his 2024 Range Rover Sport P550e snatched just metres from his front door.
But savvy Tom had fitted his motor with a tracking system which enabled him to get his vehicle back.
He said the car was retrieved when three police dog vans stopped the thief in his tracks.
Thankfully for Tom, the motor was found 15 minutes away from Tom's home in Cobham, Surrey.
Tom said: 'This is the fourth time I've had a car stolen from outside my house.
'Three times out of four we got the car back but this is the first time they actually caught the criminal who did it.
'We got the car back with the amazing help of Meta Trak UK and the Metropolitan Police who turned up with three dog vans.
'And, not only did they manage to get the pinpoint location of the car, but they also detained the suspect who is now in custody thanks to the police dogs who chased him and took him down."
The Range Rover Sport was taken from his drive on Wednesday April 30.
And Tom thinks that there should be harsher punishments for those who steal cars.
Heartstopping moment self-driving car smashes into van parked in driveway as driver is slapped with a ticket
'Sadly, the worst sentence someone can get for car theft is six months in prison and apparently, most get off with community service.
'Personally, I think there should be much harsher sentences for car thieves to deter them as it's rife, especially around London and Surrey.
'Big shout out to the Met Police officers who I have heard criticised previously for turning a bit of a blind eye to car theft but this shows that they will go after people in force and serve justice.
'Also I think it's time I got a gate or one of those retractable security bollards if anyone can hit me up with a contact.'
Surrey Police and the Met Police have been approached for comment.
It comes after we revealed the worst areas for car theft in the UK where thousands of motors are pinched every month.
Data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) unveiled where each of the 61,343 cars nicked last year was stolen from.
It was revealed that the Ford Fiesta was the most frequently stolen model last year, with 4,446 of the compacts being nicked.
However, some of these pinched motors were far more valuable than your average Fiesta.
In fact, many exotic and pricey models of motor were nabbed last year, including a 2024 Ferrari Purosangue worth £375,000 that was taken from Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.
Also making the costly list was a 2023 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth £270,000, nicked from Stanford-le-Hope in Essex.
5
But the car thief was soon stopped and caught by police
Credit: Jam Press/Tom Jaconelli
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Record 750 police officers are suspended from duty - at a cost of £2.6MILLION a month
A record number of police officers have been suspended on full pay over alleged wrongdoing – at a cost of £2.6million a month. Allegations against the 750 officers ordered to stay away from work while they are being investigated range from sexual misconduct to brutality and corruption. The number on so-called 'gardening leave' is up 5 per cent on the 711 officers who were suspended last year, and more than treble the 225 recorded in 2022. They are clocking up an estimated weekly wage bill of £650,000. It comes after Met Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist voiced frustration that the force had paid a senior officer for five years while a disciplinary procedure dragged on. Commander Julian Bennett was suspended in 2020 after failing to take a drugs test. He was fired in 2023 but reinstated after the initial decision was quashed, only to be fired again after a second hearing earlier this year. 'This should have been a simple matter,' Mr Twist said, noting that Mr Bennett 'never disputed he refused a lawful order to take a drugs test'. He added: 'I am sure Londoners will be as outraged as we are, at the utter waste of public funds spent paying a senior officer to sit at home suspended and not work.' In London alone, 155 officers are being paid while suspended from duty – 145 Met employees and ten from the City of London force. Some officers will have spent years picking up their full pay packets while their disciplinary cases, and any potential appeals, drag on. If they are dismissed for wrongdoing, they will keep the wages they received while under suspension and, normally, their accrued pension rights. Met firearms officer Wayne Couzens, 52, who is serving a whole-life prison sentence for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard, was on full pay while he faced criminal charges. He was arrested in March 2021 and remained on a reported yearly salary of £33,000 until he pleaded guilty that July. Another notorious case was that of Met Detective Inspector Warren Arter, who was suspended for seven years and pocketed around £400,000 in wages. Arter, who worked on a unit dealing with rape victims, was fired in 2023 and charged with misconduct in public office after it was found he had offered to supply cocaine and taken drugs at swinging parties. He was found dead in his cell at HMP Wandsworth last July. Although the bulk of those suspended are constables at the bottom of the police rungs, there are also far more senior officers tasked with running forces who have been ordered to stay at home. Devon and Cornwall Police's Chief Constable Will Kerr was suspended from his job for two years after sexual assault allegations were made against him. He was cleared following an investigation, but retired last month. In a statement, he said: 'I remain a strong advocate for accountability, but that process must be fair, timely and proportionate. 'Like too many other officers, that has not been my experience.' When pension contributions and NI contributions are added to the bill, it is thought each case costs around £45,000. It means with 750 officers off at the start of this financial year, the total cost last year was around £33.8million. The forces that were missing the most officers to suspensions after the Met were Greater Manchester (63), West Midlands (56), West Yorkshire (33), Essex (27) and Kent (25).
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Cops probing Strictly drug scandal weeks before new series after ‘two stars took cocaine'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) POLICE tonight confirmed they are investigating drug allegations relating to Strictly. It comes after The Sun on Sunday revealed on Sunday the BBC-led inquiry had contacted cops. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Strictly Come Dancing has been engulfed in its biggest crisis after police were brought in Credit: PA 4 The Met Police tonight confirmed they are investigating drug allegations relating to Strictly Credit: PA We told two weeks ago how the BBC, with the help of external lawyers Pinsent Masons, were probing claims that two Strictly stars had abused cocaine. Today, in a new statement, a Met spokesperson said: 'On Tuesday 12 August, the Metropolitan Police received an allegation about drug related offences. "Police are assessing the information and further enquiries are taking place to establish whether there is evidence of a criminal offence being committed. 'We won't be commenting further at this time.' In The Sun's story two weeks ago we told how it was claimed it was 'well known' that two Strictly stars took drugs including cocaine. And it was alleged one Strictly personality had said about one of the stars they were 'off their face … have you seen the pupils in their eyes'. This morning we revealed cops were now involved but did not state the nature and detail of the allegations they were investigating. The corporation had already launched an inquiry into its flagship Saturday night family show amid claims two of its stars had used cocaine. It is understood that detectives from the Met Police are examining other allegations relating to the telly ballroom hit, which has been rocked by a string of controversies. Our latest shock revelation comes as the BBC prepares to launch Strictly's 23rd series next month - after officially announcing the line-up of celebrities including reality TV star Dani Dyer. A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'It's a significant new development in the BBC's recent string of crises that they have now got the police involved in investigating allegations surrounding Strictly. "This is a very dramatic turn of events. 'Despite all the show and its team have been through over recent months, it's hugely controversial that you've now got Scotland Yard detectives probing Strictly. 'This is their biggest prime-time family entertainment show, so it's not a good look for the BBC.' Strictly has been the subject of inquiries into bullying and inappropriate behaviour over the past 14 months. But this is believed to be the first time the BBC has been in contact with the police over allegations linked to the show. It is understood the matter was referred by the BBC after it launched an inquiry, conducted by external lawyers Pinsent Masons, into alleged drug use on the show. The Sun on Sunday reported two weeks ago how it was 'well known' that two Strictly stars took cocaine. It was claimed one accused another of being 'off their face' - saying: 'Have you seen their pupils?' Lawyers were brought in after ex-Strictly star and opera singer Wynne Evans made allegations in a legal submission to the BBC in March. In relation to the drugs allegations, the BBC said a fortnight ago: 'We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. 'We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns. 'It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.' 4 BBC bosses alerted police after lawyers began an inquiry into the scandal-hit series Credit: Getty
BBC News
15 hours ago
- BBC News
Arrest after pedestrian fatally hit by car in Streetly
A man has been arrested after an elderly pedestrian was fatally struck by a car in Sutton crash, which involved a white Mercedes, happened in Thornhill Road, Streetly, where police found a man in his late 70s with fatal injuries, just before 18:00 BST on arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving. He is being questioned in Midland Police said officers were working to establish the full circumstances and were particularly interested in speaking to the driver of a silver Range Rover who may have important information. The force has urged for anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage to get in touch. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
