YouTube star has £30k Porsche stolen by crooks who used it as battering ram in brazen petrol station raid
RAM RAID YouTube star has £30k Porsche stolen by crooks who used it as battering ram in brazen petrol station raid
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A LUXURY Porsche was used as a battering ram by crooks in a brazen raid on a petrol station - just minutes after it was stolen from an MOT centre.
The SUV, which belongs to used car dealer Joe Betty - known for his YouTube channel Shifting Metal - was stolen from a site in Highbridge, Somerset, and then used in a ram raid on a nearby Asda.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
YouTube star Joe Betty, known for his channel Shifting Metal, had his Porsche Cayenne stolen from an MOT centre
Credit: YouTube
3
The luxury SUV was used by crooks as a battering ram in a raid on a petrol station
Credit: YouTube
3
A gang of men were filmed on CCTV breaking into a garage and taking off with the Cayenne
Credit: YouTube
According to Car Dealer Mag, a group of men broke into the garage and took off with the Cayenne, as well as a Ford S-Max.
Both cars were then driven to an Asda petrol station, where they were used as battering rams in an attempt to get inside.
The Porsche, a high-end, V8 S Tiptronic S model from 2015 that's typically priced between £15,000 to £30,000, was purchased by Betty just days before the incident.
He'd even lined up a buyer for it and had taken a deposit when he'd sent it for an MOT test.
He said: 'I bought it from an auction on the Monday, we drove it back on the same day and incredibly it was one of those rare occasions in the motor trade where we'd taken a deposit and it was ready to go out when it was stolen on the Thursday night.
'We phoned the customer that morning, just letting them know.
'They are still trying to buy another car from us but it's finding the right car for them now, because it was a very nice spec model and had all the right things they wanted.
'I haven't seen it as it's currently at a recovery yard and I'm waiting to see what happens with the MOT centre and insurance.
'From what I could see [at the petrol station], it looked like it had lost engine oil.
"Some rumours I'd heard from a couple of different places was that it was left running.
Watch moment car thief boy, 9, sneaks into uninsured £135k PORSCHE to go on daring joyride - but it doesn't end well
'If that's the case then the engine will be no good anymore.
'The back end of the car I haven't seen unfortunately, because the last time I saw it had an Asda Express parked on it but I can't imagine it's great.
'I think it would probably be salvageable if it weren't for the engine. It would certainly be thousands of pounds of work, I would guess.'
The damage occurred when the crooks reversed the Porsche into the main entrance of the store, before seemingly getting it stuck on a metal pillar.
Meanwhile, the Ford was smashed into a smaller unit outside the store.
The group later escaped the scene in a getaway vehicle which was on false plates.
According to Betty, police took DNA evidence at the scene, but he doubts the gang will be found.
He added: 'I think in the motor trade you kind of just get used to these weird and wonderful problems that you have.
'I'm quite nonchalant about it at the moment but I imagine, as it drags on and is just trickling in the background, it get more upsetting.
'It has made us think about our own security, I guess.
'We've had someone try to steal a car from the forecourt before. They smashed the window of a Fiesta ST, but set the alarm off and ran away but that's about it, really.
'We've been quite lucky up until now, in a sense but this has definitely tipped the scale.
'The police are working on it, but other than perhaps getting some DNA, which they've taken swabs from the scene, I don't think they've got much to go on, because everyone was wearing masks and the getaway car was on cloned plates.
'The footage that we had of them cutting into the MOT centre, they were so nonchalant about it that I think this is not their first rodeo.
'They've done it before and I don't think there's much hope of conviction coming to be honest.'
A spokesperson for Somerset and Avon Police said: ''At 3.44am on Friday 23 May we received a report of a group of men trying to force entry to a building off the A371 in Locking.
'Officers arrived five minutes later and found the group had left the area after damaging the building.
'Officers carried out a search of the area, supported by a specialist dog team, but no one was located.
'A black Porsche Cayenne and a grey Ford S-Max were found damaged at the scene. Both vehicles are believed to have been stolen during a burglary in Commerce Way, Highbridge earlier in the night.
'The group of men are believed to have left the area in a blue Audi Q5. They were wearing black clothing and balaclavas.
'Our investigation to identify them is ongoing.
'Anyone with information is asked to call 101, using the reference number 5225143650.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Mechanic says used cars buyers should be wary of one type of vehicle
Leading car mechanic Scotty Kilmer has warned drivers that they should be more wary than ever when it comes to buying a used vehicle A popular mechanic has urged motorists to think twice before splashing out on certain second-hand vehicles. The expert warned that used electric cars bring "more uncertainty" as their values plummet dramatically compared to petrol and diesel alternatives. He claimed many EVs remain "unproven" with drivers already stung by massive price crashes. This has resulted in owners losing nearly two-thirds of their investment within just a few years - a devastating blow for budget-conscious buyers. Scotty Kilmer shared his guidance on his YouTube channel, where he dishes out top tips and tricks for motorists, reports the Express. It comes as another mechanic named two specific cars people should avoid buying in the UK. He explained: "In the pandemic the prices of used electric cars were insane. People were selling used Tesla's for more than new ones. But that's not the way it always has been." The renowned car mechanic disclosed that five years ago, a customer in Houston snapped up a second-hand Tesla Model S for £35,500 ($47,000). Yet the motor had originally been priced at over £96,000 ($129,000) when it rolled off the forecourt brand new just years earlier. Scotty acknowledged the model was valued at merely one-third of its initial cost despite clocking up just 15,000 miles. Scotty continued: "Now prices are all over the place. Generally, the price of vehicles classically is the ones that are good and last a long time like Toyota's, have high resale value". "But the prices of unproven electrical cars, they're starting to come down. They might go right back to where they were five years ago. "You can pay one-third of what you pay for a new one. So just what you need more in electric cars, more uncertainty. Which makes me think most people should be rather uncertain whether they should buy an electric car or not." Fellow drivers swiftly flocked to the comments section to commend Scotty for his guidance, with some admitting they had fallen into the trap. Others even vowed never to purchase an electric vehicle, with many declaring their loyalty to petrol engines. YouTube user @TeijoKhanfan said: "Gee I wonder why? It's almost like people want a car they can take on long road trips and not have to worry about not only finding a charging station but how long they're gonna have to wait to even get into that station. "And then taking a half hour to an hour just to charge it back up so they can drive another couple hours." @AmericanMan2000 added: "I will never own another While @edwardb5501 said: "Definitely don't buy an electric car. You'll regret it later on."
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I drove pure electric Elroq vRS at Sweet Lamb rally complex – it corners tidily & is mega comfy but there's one downside
The Czechs will tell you it's the fastest Skoda yet - but they aren't quite right ELROQ 'N' ROLL STAR I drove pure electric Elroq vRS at Sweet Lamb rally complex – it corners tidily & is mega comfy but there's one downside Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EVERYONE knows The Stig. He's the chatterbox racing driver from Top Gear. But did you know there's another Stig who makes him look a bit slow? Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Stig Blomqvist is the man who cemented Skoda's motorsport credibility Credit: Supplied 7 The cabin is nicely appointed with microsuede upholstery Credit: Supplied 7 It'll do 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds, one second quicker than a petrol Octavia vRS Credit: Supplied 7 What impresses most about this car is the handling Credit: Supplied Stig Blomqvist. Absolute rally god. He won the 1984 World Rally Championship at the wheel of an Audi Quattro. He's also the man who cemented Skoda's motorsport credibility by finishing third on the 1996 Network Q Rally, in the snow, in a front-wheel drive Felicia, up against fire-spitting four-wheel drive Imprezas, Celicas and Sierra RS Cossies. Proper giant-killing performance. I remember sitting on a frozen tree stump in Kielder Forest watching the master in full flow. Some bloke called Colin McRae piloted a Fabia WRC in 2005 and, for the last 15 years or so, Fabia has been hoovering up trophies in the second-tier WRC2 and other international championships. The reason I'm telling you all this is because Skoda has properly earned the vRS — victory Rally Sport — badge it sticks on its spicy road cars. It's not a marketing gimmick. It has years of motorsport expertise behind it. So we thought we'd try the latest vRS, the pure electric Elroq vRS, at the famous Sweet Lamb rally complex in Llanidloes, mid-Wales. 5 Things you need to know about the new Skoda Elroq It was a lot of fun. We bolted on some all-terrain tyres, added underbody protection (we're not animals), and dialled down the traction control systems and, er, that was about it. Pull the pin. Elroq vRS is plenty quick enough off the line. The Czechs will tell you it's the fastest Skoda yet. But it's actually joint-fastest alongside the Enyaq vRS. Two e-motors, one on each axle for all-wheel drive, pump out a meaty 340hp. It'll do 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds, one second quicker than a petrol Octavia vRS, and top out at 111mph. But what impresses most is the handling. For a heavy vehicle (batteries weight a bit), it corners tidily. The steering is light but accurate. The body is well tied-down, neither rolling on corners or floating when the road crests and dips. We tried the very green Elroq vRS on smoother, less dusty B-roads and it was just as pleasing. Fast or slow. It should easily do 280 miles on a full tank and can recharge to 80 per cent in a 26-minute tea-and-pee break. 7 I remember sitting on a frozen tree stump in Kielder Forest watching the master in full flow Credit: Supplied 7 Skoda has properly earned the vRS — victory Rally Sport — badge Credit: Supplied The cabin is nicely appointed. Microsuede upholstery. Lime green stitching. The seats are mega comfy and will warm and rub your back. The door pockets are carpeted. So nothing rattles. That 13in touchscreen is fast and easy to use. Mind you, I'm a big fan of the regular £31,510 Elroq, so the all-singing vRS was always going to be good. My only grumble is the price. We're talking £46,560. That's Mercedes CLA money. But at least you can release your inner Stig. SKODA unveils an Octavia-sized electric estate called 'Vision O' next month. But it's exactly that, a vision. The real car's still three years away and it will co-exist alongside today's petrol and diesel Octavias for as long as they're allowed to continue. There's a dinky £22k EV called 'Epiq' coming in 2026, followed by a seven-seat EV that's previewed by the 'Vision 7S' concept. 7 Skoda's Octavia-sized electric estate called 'Vision O' Credit: Supplied
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Two schoolgirls, 15, ‘sexually assaulted' near field in broad daylight attack as man, 39, is arrested
The suspect has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and possession of a controlled drug ATTACK PROBE Two schoolgirls, 15, 'sexually assaulted' near field in broad daylight attack as man, 39, is arrested Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAN has been arrested after two teenagers were sexually assaulted on a path close to a field. The two 15-year-old schoolgirls were walking on the path close to the green space in Adderley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, at around 12.35pm yesterday when a man approached them, police said. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up He then sexually assaulted both of them, Staffordshire Police said. Both girls walked away after the attack and told someone in the area about what happened to them. Now, cops have arrested a 39-year-old man on suspicion of sexual assault on a female and possessing a controlled drug of Class B - cannabis. Police had previously established that the suspect was known to the victims, after carrying out enquiries locally. Officers added that they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation. The suspect currently remains in custody for questioning. More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
