Sheffield car thief jailed for targeting luxury vehicles in Derbyshire and North Wales

A serial Sheffield car thief who targeted vehicles around Derbyshire and North Wales has been jailed for a total of four years.
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Damien Ward broke into a house in the Bakewell area in February 2019 and stole a bronze Range Rover after taking the keys from inside the property, Derby Crown Court heard on Wednesday, January 27.

He also stole number plates from a Nissan Quasqui on the same night, and the Range Rover was later discovered in Mill Lane Deepcar, close to where Ward was living at the time, with false number plates.

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When police recovered the vehicle, they found a baby seat in the back with Ward’s finger prints on it and, when they seized the 28-year-old’s phone, recovered data that placed him at the scene on the night in question, and the night before for a reconnaissance run, the court heard.

Damien Ward has been jailed for stealing Range Rovers and dangerous drivingDamien Ward has been jailed for stealing Range Rovers and dangerous driving
Damien Ward has been jailed for stealing Range Rovers and dangerous driving

Ward, formerly of Yew Greave Crescent, Sheffield, and currently of HMP Nottingham, committed the offences shortly after being given a suspended prison sentence by Leeds Crown Court for similar matters.

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The court also heard that Ward had targeted vehicles around the Matlock and Glossop, stealing number bumpers and removing and breaking number plates during 2018 and in 2020 started targeting vehicles in North Wales. His fingerprints were found at the scenes.

In October 2020, Ward stole a blue Range Rover from a property in North Wales, but the vehicle had a tracking device and the owner found it parked at the Victoria Dock, in Caernarfon, said Tom Heath, prosecuting.

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“They went to find the car and kept it under observation for some time,” he said. “They saw a man, later identified as Mr Ward, approach it, but he seemed to realise he was being watched.

“He was intercepted by the owner and she followed his vehicle until police took over and he then began to drive in a dangerous manner.”

He described how Ward has fled from officers, overtaking dangerously and going the wrong way around a roundabout and was later discovered hiding in a garage and smoking cannabis, the court heard.

When arrested, 10 car keys, including the one to the blue Range Rover, car diagnostic equipment and a key programming kit were discovered in his rucksack. When arrested, his suspended sentence was activated and he was recalled to prison.

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Ward had previously admitted burglary, seven counts of theft, including theft of the Range Rover, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and possession of cannabis.

Mitigating, Guirdial Singh, told the court: “Both of the Range Rovers were recovered intact. His grandfather passed away while he was in prison and he wasn’t able to attend his funeral or be with him in his final hours. He also developed Covid and has not been able to see his family.”

Ward was jailed for a total of 48 months by Judge Jonathan Bennett when he appeared before the court and was also banned from driving for a further 48 months on his release from prison.

Sentencing, he said: “The driving was risky driving with the overtaking, and you were driving while disqualified.”

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