Man jailed after £300,000 worth of vehicles stolen
Surrey PoliceA man has been jailed following an investigation into the handling of about £300,000 worth of stolen vehicles across south east England, police say.
In September, Peter Tullett, from Godstone in Surrey, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, five counts of handling stolen goods, and one count of being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
The 24-year-old was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court earlier this month to a total of four years and six months in prison.
Surrey Police said the vehicles linked to the investigation were taken from places across Surrey, Sussex, and Kent, including Godstone, Oxted, Tunbridge Wells, and Edenbridge.
Tullett was first arrested in November 2023, 10 months after a vehicle registered to him was seen travelling in convoy with a stolen Suzuki Jimny which had been taken from Caterham in Surrey in December 2022, police said.
A second vehicle registered to Tullett was also later spotted travelling with a stolen Land Rover Discovery which had been taken from Fetcham in Surrey in the same month, the force added.
Further enquiries, including analysis of phone records, found images and videos linking Tullett to multiple stolen vehicles and the handling of stolen goods across the region, a police spokesperson said.
Officers said they also found messages and voice notes relating to the sale of these vehicles along with a Suzuki Jimny registered to Tullett which had been built using stolen parts.
Discarded phone
During the course of the investigation, Tullett was also linked to the supply of cocaine following inquiries into bulk text messages associated with county lines drug dealing, Surrey Police said.
Having been released on bail, Tullett was arrested again in June 2024 in connection with drug supply offences.
During the arrest, he was seen attempting to discard a mobile phone from a bedroom window before it was recovered by officers, who also found about £5,000 in cash at his address, police said.
PC Lee Newman said: "A number of these offences had a direct impact on rural communities, including farmers and residents who were targeted for high-value vehicles and equipment.
"We know the impact these crimes have on victims and the wider rural community, and we hope this sentencing reassures residents that we remain committed to tackling rural crime and identifying those involved in organised criminality across Surrey."
