Car thief ordered to repay just £970 of £194k proceeds

Summarised from BBC Leicester's report · Updated 5 Nov, 18:17 · Archive

A 23-year-old thief who made £194,000 stealing high-value cars from driveways can repay just £970 of his proceeds.

Ethan Taylor, 23, from Wigston in Leicestershire, was sentenced in July after admitting 23 offences of burglary, attempted burglary and theft. He was part of a gang that used a blowtorch to cut locks at homes before stealing car keys. The thefts took place across Lincolnshire between January and September 2025, in locations including Deeping St James, Barrowby, Stamford, Grantham and Sleaford.

A proceeds of crime hearing at Lincoln Crown Court heard Taylor made a benefit of £194,000 from his crimes. However, he had available assets of just £970.74. Recorder Adrian Jack ordered Taylor to pay this amount within three months or face a further six months imprisonment. A number of the vehicles stolen, including Mercedes, Audis and a BMW worth more than £100,000, were never recovered.

Read the report

• Car thief from Leicestershire who made £194k can only repay £970Ethan Taylor was part of a gang that used a blowtorch to break into homes and steal car keys.BBC Leicester · 5 Nov, 14:15

In this story: Ethan Taylor · Leicestershire · Lincolnshire · Lincoln Crown Court

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