The destination is usually Banjul, capital of Gambia. A total of forty Toyotas were discovered in the illegal ‘distribution center.’ To prevent detection, the containers were filled with other items.
Joost (35) tracked down his stolen truck himself: ‘I called all the emergency numbers, but no one helped me’
According to the Spanish newspaper Diari de Girona, nine people have been arrested. The gang was said to be a professional and well-oiled machine that operated like a large company. Most of the RAVs discovered in this shipment had been stolen in France and Spain. The police and customs had started an investigation after the theft of this type of car increased explosively.
Video: ‘Professional gangs steal these cars to order’
Keys cloned
The thieves had a device that could clone keys. Every time the collection point was full, the dozens of cars disappeared to Africa and the stock was replenished with freshly stolen Toyotas. This always happened on weekends when control in the Spanish ports of Barcelona, Castellón and Valencia was apparently minimal.
Years after theft, car owners suddenly receive a call from Nigeria: your stolen car has been found 5,000 kilometers away
The Toyota RAV4 has topped the list of most stolen cars in the Netherlands for several years. In 2022, 465 disappeared, in 2022 there were 232, and last year 343. The chance that the popular SUV will be found is small.
Toyota says it has improved the locks and access systems, which would make theft more difficult. Older models can also be modified. The RAV4 was the best-selling car worldwide last year with 1.2 million units. The car is so popular among buyers and thieves because of its reliability and because it can handle bad roads in Africa.