Man jailed for keyless vehicle thefts in Rhyl and Prestatyn

Rhyl Journal

12-07-2025

Tomas Politovas, 35, of Kettering Road, Northampton, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court today (July 10).
He had previously admitted offences of conspiring to steal a motor vehicle, using apparatus for interfering with wireless telegraphy, going equipped for theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a bladed article in public, and possession of cannabis.
Prosecutor Anna Pope said Politovas was involved in a 'sophisticated car theft conspiracy' which lasted eight weeks between January and March 2025.
Politovas, with at least one other, travelled to Cheshire and North Wales to steal high-value cars, with the aim of then breaking them down into parts for onward sale in Europe.
Thefts took place in the Prestatyn, Rhyl, Abergele, Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno and Llandudno Junction areas.
The overall value of items stolen, or attempted to be stolen, was between £450,000 and 500,000.
Politovas, who used gloves and balaclavas when trying to steal cars, also used duct tape to cover CCTV and doorbell cameras.
On January 29, Politovas tried to steal a BMW from an address in Crewe, but was disturbed while doing so, and left behind a rucksack containing equipment designed to steal.
His DNA was recovered from a glove inside the BMW.
He then stole another car in Cheshire on February 21, before driving it to the south-east of England.
Politovas stole another car from North Wales on February 22 – his DNA was found on duct tape in this instance.
Then, on February 26, two vehicles were stolen and one was attempted to be stolen in North Wales; Politovas drove one of those vehicles to the south-east.
On March 6, Politovas was involved in stealing a Volkswagen Golf vehicle from Rhyl, and later a Mercedes car, which was taken to Norfolk.
Another vehicle stolen from North Wales on March 8, while on March 10, an attempted theft resulted in the homeowner confronting those trying to steal his car, before being threatened.
Politovas was arrested in North Wales on March 22, when he and another were attempting further car thefts – a small amount of cannabis was found on his person.
He was also arrest in possession of several items consistent with going to steal, including keyless relay device, duct tape, a knife, and false registration plates.
His mobile phone was examined, and showed messages in which he was being told to go to particular towns where the vehicles had already been identified in advance.
Officers also attended a large barn in Norfolk, where they found numerous GPS jamming devices turned, and the aforementioned stolen Mercedes being broken down, together with other vehicles.
Car parts were being wrapped in black plastic, while four Lithuanian nationals were present, stripping the cars apart.
Politovas was interviewed by police, who he told he was being forced to steal because he owed debts.
His home was searched, and money, cannabis and GPS trackers were recovered.
Only one of the stolen cars was recovered, meanwhile.
Representing Politovas, who had one previous conviction for going equipped for theft, Simon Killeen said he was not the head of the conspiracy.
'This is not a man who is receiving £400,000 or so,' Mr Killeen said.
Politovas has been in the UK for about four years; prior to that, he was in Ireland.
He had entered the UK lawfully as a visitor, but 'that permission has now expired'.
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts told Politovas that he 'played an important part in a gang that stole high-value cars'.
Judge Petts added: 'You were not the leader of the gang by any means… (but) this was a sophisticated and well-planned operation.'