Stolen from Ormskirk, Lancs, on Monday 8th May at 12:13, a particularly nice example of a late 200tdi. It appears to have been a targeted vehicle theft. Police have CCTV which suggests that I was followed into the M&S car park in Ormskirk by a BLACK MEGANE, regrettably the number plate of this vehicle wasn't recorded.

After parking my Defender and leaving on foot, three men were seen to leave the BLACK MEGANE, approach my Defender, break in, and drive off. Unfortunately, I had two dogs in the back and these went with the car.

After launching a big social media and press campaign I've happily managed to recover the dogs.

I'm now focusing on the Defender. The police appear to be attempting to build a case on the basis that whilst they haven't got the registration the BLACK MEGANE that followed me, a BLACK MEGANE owned by a known car thief from Kirkby, Merseyside, went through a ANPR camera in the Ormskirk area on the same day. What are the chances? Also the dogs were recovered after being abandoned at an animal sanctuary close to Kirkby, they were tied to a fence with cargo straps from the back of my vehicle, so they were abandoned by the thieves.

Whilst the police are building a case, I believe my Defender is being chopped, the police are of the opinion that it is being stored somewhere. I'm in the process of obtaining the CCTV from both the M&S and council cameras, under data protection. I intend to post the footage on social media in a bid to identify the thieves on the basis that there can't be too many BLACK MEGANES in the Kirkby area.

I'm aware there's a few guys from the Northwood area of Kirkby who are into off roading; they may well be members of this forum, they may be aware of these specific thieves targeting Defenders in the area, if they are members and they're not aware, please take extra precautions.

If anyone has any information please do not hesitate to get in touch with me through this website.

Thank-you

Colin

I'm so sorry to learn of your news. This is not the first, and certainly not the last posting to report a stolen Land Rover. I'm certain that members will do whatever they can to help.

If the Police have the ANPR photo it should be possible to identify whether it is the car that was seen to be involved in the theft of your Defender.
From other details or marks/stickers etc on the car?

Thanks Alan appreciate it.

That's a good point, get the impression the police are building a bigger case, police operator initially said they had the registration of the black Megane and they wouldn't attend as they were looking for the vehicle, then suddenly they told me to wait and an undercover officer appeared, he told me that their was some confusion over the registration, later telling me they didn't have it but they'd had "a ping' from a Black Megane, owned by a known car thief from KIRKBY, in the area on that day. Have discovered this officer works on 'Operation Nemesis' which is involved in gangs, organised crime and drugs. To my mind my Defender is either being chopped or will be used for something else, all very frustrating.

****ers I hope you get that back its a cracking looking landy.have you put it on landywatch on fb

I'll try that, thanks.