Thieves Who Filmed Themselves Stealing Over $2.7M Worth of Cars Plead Guilty to Dozens of Crimes
Three thieves who filmed themselves carrying out more than 100 burglaries and stole around $2.7 million worth of cars will now be spending years behind bars. Police said the three men “meticulously worked together” to carry out the crimes between August 2024 and April 2025.
24-year-old Callum James, 18-year-old Jack Bardini, and 25-year-old Deche Luton-Howe were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to dozens of crimes. James pleaded guilty to 75 offenses, Bardini pleaded guilty to 31, and Luton-Howe pleaded guilty to two crimes.
The offenses included conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle, conspiracy to conceal criminal property, conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle, possession and control of articles for use in fraud, and making and supplying articles for fraud.
According to the West Midlands Police, the three thieves “would target properties to gain entry by lock snapping, stealing car keys and subsequently taking the cars.” They specifically targeted cars of high value.
The thieves filming themselves with the stolen cars helped lead to their arrest
After stealing the vehicles, they would put fraudulent license plates on them. The men would often pose for photos with the stolen vehicles and also record footage while driving erratically in them.
In a video shared by West Midlands Police, viewers see the thieves breaking into homes. We then see them posing next to a stolen BMW. The video then shows Luton-Howe handing over one of the fake number plates to James and Bardini. Someone also sees Bardini doing donuts in the stolen BMW. (Where have we seen that before?)
During the investigation, police discovered that James wore distinctive jackets during the burglaries, including one he was wearing hours before his arrest. James received a prison sentence of nine years.
The court sentenced 18-year-old Bardini to six years and nine months in prison. The third thief, Luton-Howe, got two years and three months.
“They carried out dozens of offences over an eight-month period, and so the investigation was lengthy,” said PC Adam McWalter, of the West Midlands Police Serious and Organised Crime team. “Piecing together every piece of evidence and footage was vital to the investigation and secured the charges and eventual guilty pleas. Thankfully, these three prolific offenders will now be spending a long time behind bars.”
West Midlands Police also caught another man who committed an impressive string of car thefts
In an unrelated-related case, another man pleaded guilty this week to eight burglary offenses and 13 theft of motor vehicle offenses committed across the West Midlands. Brayden Page, 22, stole more than $459,000 worth of vehicles all by himself in just two months. Last week, the court sentenced him to four years in prison.
“Page was prolific in breaking into people’s homes and stealing numerous vehicles from Solihull residents,” said Detective Sergeant Charlie Edwards. “Thankfully, following investigative work and help from the community, we were able to identify Page as the offender and lock him up.”
