£1m. Land Rover thefts: five arrested

The men, all from the local area and aged 19, 45, 31, 31 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Police said the arrests were part of an on-going investigation.

High value Land Rover Discoveries, Evoques and Defenders, all with keyless ignitions, were targeted in the spate of thefts,

In some cases attempts to take the cars were unsuccessful and to date six vehicles have been recovered.

It is thought that the total value of the vehicles stolen could be in excess of £1m.

DS Zoe Russo from Burnley CID said: “We launched our investigation into these thefts earlier this year and have spent months following numerous lines of enquiry. These arrests come as part of the latest stage of the investigation and I would urge anyone with any further information about the thefts, who has not come forward already, to get in touch with us.

“I would also urge motorists to always take security measures to ensure that their vehicles are not a target for thieves. Where possible park your vehicle in a garage overnight and look at using visible deterrents such as steering wheel and pedal locks, as well as other security measures including disk locks and clutch claws.”

Anyone with information should contact Lancashire Police on 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at Crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken.