In 2010, the border policemen detected 287 vehicles,
stated as stolen from abroad.
In comparison with the same period of last year when 183 vehicles
were detected, the number of detections regarding the stolen means
of transportation increased by approximately 56%.
The main "supplier" of stolen vehicles transiting the Romanian
borders, is still Italy, followed by Germany, Hungary etc. and the
involved persons originate from Romania, Republic of Moldova,
Ukraine, Austria, Italy or Turkey.
Statistics
Trafficking in luxury vehicles stolen from abroad remains this year "in the attention" of transnational underworld, being an illegal activity which brings substantial financial advantages to the network members already specialized in the field and extremely well organized at the level of several states (from West to the East of Europe).
As of the beginning of the year and to the present, the border policemen detected 219 vehicles, 30 freight vehicles, 16 minibuses, 15 motorcycles and 7 trailers stated as stolen abroad. In the similar period of 2009, 183 stolen vehicles were detected, ascertaining an increase by approximately 56% of the number of detected vehicles.
In order to identify and seize the stolen vehicles stated as stolen abroad, under the direct surveillance of the Prosecutor's Office, the border policemen collaborated with the similar structures in the E.U. Member States, realizing an operational data and information exchange through the Contact Points and Centers (Oradea, Galati, etc.).
In the filed of countering trafficking in stolen vehicles, the border policemen issued 214 criminal files, the persons involved originated from Romania, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Austria, Italy and Turkey.
Organization of traffickers' networks
From the analyses carried out by the border policemen in the cases detected in the competence area, it was established that, generally, the networks of traffickers are organized on two types, respectively the ones specialized in the theft of luxury vehicles and the ones specialized in the theft of mid-range vehicles.
In their turn, these two types are subdivided in several action groups, whose "hierarchy" is the following:
reconnaissance group - identifies the vehicles according to the "request", technical group - produces false documents, transportation group - crosses the vehicles over the borders, capitalization group - sells the luxury vehicles, surveillance group - has the duty to monitor and to carry out all the phases included in the illegal act.Modi operandi and routes
As modi operandi of the traffickers, the analyses demonstrate that "is put into practice":
Insurance fraud - with the agreement of the owner the car is transported to other country, "washed" through successive sales and subsequently stated as being stolen by its owner; Ordered theft, embezzlement or fraud at the rental companies - a person lacking material possibilities is recruited who for a moderate amount of money accept to open an account on his/her name at a bank and to obtain a credit card, based on which the person rents the vehicle from the profile firms.The routes used by the traffickers are, generally, oriented from the European Western countries to the East-European and former Commonwealth of Independent States member countries:
Italy - Austria - Hungary - Romania; Germany - Austria - Hungary - Romania - Republic of Moldova and Ukraine; Italy - Serbia - Romania - R. Moldova - Ukraine or Russian Federation.The main "supplier" of stolen vehicles transiting the borders of Romania is Italy, followed by Germany, Spain etc.
In most of the cases, the persons who were driving the vehicles stated, during the investigations, that they did not know that the vehicles were in the attention of the authorities as being stolen, they were just "bona fide purchasers". Others sustained that they received an amount of money (generally, up to 500 EURO) to transport the vehicle in Romania and they did not know that it was stolen.
Following an "analysis" of the bid and ask on the black market of vehicles, it was ascertained that, in the luxury vehicles category, the most wanted are BMW and Mercedes, and the mid-range vehicles: Renault and Fiat.
Out of the significant cases recorded in 2010 in the field of prevention and countering trafficking in stolen vehicles, we mention the following:
Luxury vehicle amounting to approximately
200.000 EURO stolen from Germany, detected in Varsand
A luxury vehicle, BENTLEY CONTINENTAL amounting to approximately
200.000 EURO, inserted in the database as being stolen from
Germany, was detected by the border policemen in Arad at the entry
in Romania.
On 23.06.2010, the border policemen within Border Crossing Point
Varsand identified a Ukrainian citizen, P.O., aged 48, who
presented in order to enter the country driving a Bentley
Continental vehicle, registered in Ukraine.
On the occasion of the documents' check, the border policemen
ascertained that the vehicle registration certificate was
falsified, as well as the driving license presented by P.O. After
the specific investigations, the border policemen ascertained that
the car appeared in the database of Interpol as being stolen from
Germany in April 2010.
The man stated that he was not aware of the fact that the vehicle
was stolen from Germany and that he was just transporting it to
Bulgaria at the request of a friend.
The border policemen from Arad issued the preliminary documents for
the beginning of the criminal proceeding for committing theft by
concealment, complicity at material false in official documents,
driving a vehicle without driving license on public roads and
driving a vehicle with false registration plates, at the end of the
investigations the legal measures are to be taken.
At the same time, the vehicle was seized at the H.Q. of County
Inspectorate of Border Police Arad in order to carry on the
investigations.
Bentley stolen from Germany, detected in
Petea
The border policemen from Satu Mare detected a Romanian citizen
trying to exit the country with a luxury vehicle, Bentley
Continental appearing as stolen from Germany.
On 22 December 2010, around 23.00, at Border Crossing Point Petea,
Adrian Nelu F., aged 31, originating from Negresti Oas, with double
citizenship (Romanian and French) residing in France, presented in
order to exit the country. He was driving a Bentley Continental,
which had Romanian registration plates.
On the occasion of the formalities in order to exit the country, at
the border check the documents of the vehicles and the documents of
the vehicle driver were requested. Adrian Nelu F. presented the
French identity card and the vehicle registration certificate on
the name of a Romanian citizen.
As a result of the investigations carried out, the border policemen
ascertained that the vehicle appeared as stolen from Germany, in
November 2010.
Adrian Nelu F. stated that he was an employee of a commercial
society in France dealing with vehicle sales and two weeks ago he
was called by a person from Bucharest, the owner of two commercial
societies who told him that he has for sale a Bentley Continental
GTC.
Being interested by the offer, Adrian Nelu F. came to Bucharest and
bought the car for 85.000 EURO, receiving in exchange the vehicle
documents and the vehicle with which he presented at B.C.P.
Petea.
The man is investigated for committing theft by concealment and the
vehicle was seized at H.Q. of C.I.B.P. Satu Mare for the continuing
of the investigations.
80.000 EURO truck, stolen from Lithuania
detected at the border
On 01.10.2010, in B.C.P. Giurgiu, Anatoli S., aged 55, driving a
Reanult truck, registered in Lithuania presented for carrying out
the legal formalities.
The border policemen checked the vehicle in the database and they
detected that the truck appeared as stolen from Lithuania in August
2010.
To the driver were issued preliminary documents for criminal
proceeding for committing theft complicity and was brought before
the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Court Giurgiu which
disposed his investigation in freedom.
The truck, amounting to approximately 80.000 EURO was seized at the
H.Q. of C.I.B.P. Giurgiu until the finalization of
investigations.
BMW X5 stolen from Austria, detected by the
border policemen in Vaslui
On 18 August 2010, the Moldovan citizen Ion J., aged 28, driving a
terrain vehicle BMW X5, fabricated in 2008, with Hungarian
provisory registration plates, presented at B.C.P. Albita in Vaslui
county.
During the specific check, having suspicions regarding the
provenience of the vehicle, the border policemen carried out checks
in the database of Interpol, ascertaining that the car was stolen
from Austria on 19 May 2010.
On the occasion of the investigations, it was established that the
power of attorney presented by the Moldovan citizen was false.
The border policemen from Vaslui drew up criminal file for
committing complicity to qualified theft (art. 26 reported to art.
208, 209 Criminal Code) and use of false (art. 291 Criminal Code)
following to be brought before the Prosecutor's Office attached to
Court Husi with the legal proposals.
The vehicle amounting to 189.000 lei was seized at the H.Q. of
C.I.B.P. Vaslui.
The border policemen carry out the investigations in order to
establish the circumstances which led to the committing of the deed
and to identity all the persons involved.
The Romanian Border Police will continue - independently or in collaboration with the other institutions in the country or abroad - to undertake firm measures in the field of countering cross-border crime phenomenon, which can prejudice the national economy and innocent people.