AN organised crime group operating from Westbury has been dissolved following an investigation by Wiltshire Police.
Marcin Kosma, aged 34, from Marleys Way, Frome was found guilty of conspiracy to handle stolen goods and four counts of handling stolen goods at Swindon Crown Court.
The jury heard that on Saturday 9th July 2011 a concerned member of the public contacted the police regarding a Polish transporter and trailers parked on the West Wilts Trading Estate in Westbury. Officers located the transporter and found it contained a nearly new John Deere 6230 tractor and JCB mini digger tractor. The vehicles had been stolen from Gloucestershire.
A lock up on Engineer Road, Westbury was searched and further vehicles, parts and tools were located including: • Renault Lorry • Doosan DX60R excavator • JCB 515-40 mini digger tractor • Caterpillar excavator • Toyota Landcruiser • Predator fuel bowser trailer • IVECO lorry • Noble sports car • VW Golf sport parts • Massey Ferguson tractor • Mercedes Vito van parts • Nissan Qashqai Accenta chassis and parts
These items were found to have been stolen from across Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Birmingham with a total value of £365,000.
The lock up was rented by a Polish National, Marcin Kosma who was living in Marleys Way, Frome. He was arrested on the 15th July 2011. Extensive Police enquiries across the UK and in Poland were carried out which discovered an organised crime group of which Marcin Kosma was part.
DS Andy Cross said, “This has been a lengthy investigation involving over 20 personnel with enquiries across the UK and in Poland. We have successfully neutralised an organised crime group operating out of Wiltshire, with the clear intent of removing stolen machinery from the UK into Europe. The seven day trial was a culmination of all the hard work carried out by the team and resulted in the jury finding Mr Kosma guilty.
“Wiltshire Police are dedicated to tackling this type of crime and it is a force-wide priority which involves officers at all levels working together. It is important to note the value of members of the public reporting anything they think is suspicious to police, and as we see in this case, a member of the public helped alert officers to an OCG in their area.
“We hope that this case acts as a deterrent to anyone involved in or thinking of setting up an OCG in Wiltshire.”
Marcin Kosma was remanded into custody and will be sentenced on the 7th August at Swindon Crown Court.
