High-performance cars worth more than £100,000 were targeted by professional thieves who stole them from a quiet north-east village, their owner said last night.
A trio of Ford Sierra RS Cosworths were snatched from Longside over the weekend in what appears to have been a carefully-planned raid.
The trove of classic machines included an extensively modified moonstone blue model with gold alloys, registration D341 JHW, and an original black model with no modifications, registration E203 APU.
A third car – an extensively modified white version of the Cosworth – was also stolen but was later found abandoned on a grass verge near the Buchan village.
The thieves stole the keys to the vehicles from Stephen Morgan’s home and made off with the cars, one of which belonged to Mr Morgan’s friend.
But despite smashing into the property there were no witnesses to the robbery and it is uncertain how the gang removed the cars. It is understood very little fuel was kept in any of the vehicles, one of which would have needed to be jump started.
The raid happened overnight between Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15.
Last night Mr Morgan said: “The cops are looking into CCTV, they’re doing forensics on the white car but they can only work with what they’ve got.
“I’ve been wracking my head for where they’ve gone but you could check every garage and every shed and get nowhere.
“If these cars are out there, on the road uncovered they will be spotted right away. There’s no chance they can drive those cars and not be seen. Somebody spotted a black one between Aviemore and Elgin, but there are others out there.
“I hope we can get them back but nothing is certain. The white one was bizarre – it was left on a grass verge and there were no tyre marks in or out. It’s as if someone picked it up and placed it there.”
The dramatic raid comes just months after the Press and Journal revealed hundreds of cars and motorbikes have been stolen across the north-east last year.
Figures show thieves made off with 438 vehicles from homes across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The region has been plagued by a gang of car crooks known to police and accused of endangering lives with their joyriding antics.
The culprits have been subject to curfews, driving bans and numerous bail orders in a bid to prevent them getting behind the wheels of stolen cars.
But Mr Morgan said it is unlikely his prized motors were stolen by joyriders and may instead have been “stolen to order”.
“They’re not your run of the mill cars,” the 30-year-old quality engineer said. “They would be impossible to sell.
“They’ve definitely been targeted. I don’t think it’s the gang from Aberdeen. It’s someone who wants them in particular.”
DC Richard Cooper, who is leading the investigation, said: “I would appeal to anyone with information about any of the vehicles involved to contact police as our inquiries continue.
“The cars are very identifiable, especially to collectors, so I would urge anyone who comes across similar vehicles for sale to let us know as soon as possible.”
“The two models outstanding would most likely have been towed away or put on the back of a truck, van or lorry, so I would also urge anyone who saw anything unusual on the surrounding roads during the night in question to get in touch.”
He added that motorists with dashcam footage may have vital evidence.
Anyone with information is urged to call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 11 if you would prefer to remain anonymous.
