A Fife thief who used a coding device to steal cars worth £210,000 in a “meticulously planned” operation has been jailed.
Derrin Gunn, 20, earlier pled guilty to committing 15 crimes – including stealing 10 vehicles – over a five-month period.
His highest value thefts included a £70,000 silver Range Rover from a home in Windygates, a £35,000 Audi S3 in Crail, and a £33,000 Volkswagen Golf R estate from St Andrews.
He stole one on Christmas night.
His thefts also included three Ford Fiesta STs.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court previously heard that in March last year, police found stolen vehicles and parts in containers which Gunn had been renting at Whitehill Industrial Estate in Glenrothes.
Photographs, videos and text messages linked to vehicle thefts and other offences were also recovered from his mobile phone.
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith sentenced Gunn to three years and two months detention, backdated to April 18 last year.
The sheriff told him: “I don’t consider you are remorseful or contrite.
“Your entire demeanour with the author (of a social work report) is not supportive of a willingness to address offending behaviour”.
Coding device showed pre-planning
At the last hearing, Sheriff Niven-Smith queried how Gunn was able to steal vehicles with keyless ignition systems.
At Monday’s sentencing, he said: “In discussing your offending with the report author, one of the very few things you said was you were in possession of a coding device, which could be easily purchased on the internet for about £200.
“It’s indicative of substantial pre-planning.
“You have meticulously planned an operation that would fly in the face of a young person lacking maturity or (not being) able to think things through because of your youth – quite the opposite applies in your case.”
Sheriff Niven-Smith further highlighted there were at least 14 individuals or business operators who fell victim to Gunn’s crimes.
The court heard previously that six of the stolen vehicles – £94,000-worth – were either not, or only partially recovered.
The sheriff also said Gunn’s crimes have “far-reaching consequences” for pushing up insurance premiums on vehicles regularly targeted by organised criminals.
Lists of crimes
Gunn admitted, between October 19 2022 and March 28 last year, stealing:
- a £70,000 Range Rover from Windygates;
- a £33,000 Volkswagen Golf R estate from St Andrews;
- a £35,000 Audi S3 from Crail;
- a £27,450 Ford Focus RS from Crail;
- a £8,500 Ford Fiesta ST from Leven;
- a £6,000 Ford Fiesta ST from Glenrothes;
- a £13,000 Ford Fiesta ST from Gauldry;
- a £4,500 Suzuki quadbike from a commercial premises in Ceres;
- a £10,000 Seat Ibiza from Wormit;
- a £3,500 motorbike from Dairsie.
One of the thefts involved housebreaking and two by stealing keys through housebreaking.
He also admitted the reset – possessing property knowingly acquired by theft – of:
- a Volkswagen Golf in Lower Largo;
- a Honda motorbike found at the industrial estate and spray painted a different colour;
- a Ford Fiesta, the shell of which was found in containers at the industrial estate.
The court heard previously the Golf, bearing cloned registration plates linked to a keeper in England, was dumped after being driven around on various Fife roads.
A subsequent police check of the vehicle identification number found the car had been stolen from the Port Seton area in East Lothian about two weeks before.
The motorbike was stolen three years before.
‘Fascination’ for Fiestas
Gunn’s defence lawyer, Joe Mooney, had argued for a non-custodial sentence and referred to a social work report on his client highlighting adverse experiences and a pattern of antisocial behaviour which have “followed him into adulthood”.
The solicitor said Gunn previously worked in a garage and referred to the report discussing his “fascination” with vehicles and a “particular focus on Fords” which has gone “particularly awry”.
The lawyer added: “Rather than developing that into a trade, or at college, he has just gone way off the rails with that”.
Co-accused gets alternative to prison
Two of Gunn’s crimes – the Volkswagen Golf R theft and reset of the Volkswagen Golf – were also perpetrated and admitted by co-accused Calvin Sturrock, 20, and were proved to have been aggravated by links to organised crime.
Sheriff Niven-Smith told first offender Sturrock, of Scoonie Place, Leven, the seriousness of his crimes was “substantially lower” than that of his co-accused and noted he had expressed remorse.
He also pointed out Sturrock’s offending was to fund a chronic cocaine addiction, which he has taken steps to address.
The sheriff sentenced him to 300 hours of unpaid work – the maximum possible – and two years of offender supervision as a direct alternative to custody.
He told Sturrock: “Please do not start punching the air or start dancing as a free and active Rocky on the steps of court.
“You, your family and your commentators must not look at this as you ‘walking free from court’.
“For the next two years you will be under supervision of court in relation to progress on your order”.
Fiesta thefts on the rise
The case is the second in recent days to come before Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court involving high-volume small car theft.
Aiden Paterson, 23, of Kennoway was locked up for a spate of thefts, particularly four different Ford Fiesta STs which he took from Forfar, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy and Methil.
Ford Fiesta STs were revealed to be the most stolen car in 2023 – and 17 have been stolen in Tayside since February 22 – and police have urged owners to be vigilant.
Following Gunn’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Stuart Hunter of Fife Division CID, said: “Acquisitive crime can have a real impact on members of the public and I hope this outcome sends a clear message that it will not be tolerated in our community.
“We will continue focussing our efforts on disrupting this type of criminal activity and bring those responsible to justice.
“I would encourage people to take the necessary steps to avoid falling victim to acquisitive crime.
- Keep car keys or fobs away from the car in a safe place, don’t leave them near doors or windows;
- Buy a signal blocking pouch to block the transmission of the signal from car key;
- Use a steering lock;
- Park in a garage or driveway;
- Buy a vehicle tracker/ tracking device to aid swift recovery if stolen;
- Always lock vehicle and remove valuables.”
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