Winner: Strike Force Oliveri – New South Wales Police Force

This year’s winning nomination for the Investigation of the Year Award relates to an investigation into a Middle Eastern crime family involved in vehicle rebirthing.

During June 2008 two members of a Middle Eastern Crime Family presented two Toyota Hilux SR model vehicles for inspection at the RTA Vehicle Identification and Inspection Unit.  Both cars were repairable Write offs.  In September 2008 a Senior RTA VIIU Vehicle Examiner was checking the internet Used Car Websites and found details of the two Hilux’s that were presented in June. However they were being advertised as SR5 upgraded models in immaculate condition.  As a result of this the Examiner recalled the vehicles for a second inspection.

During early October one vehicle was presented for a second inspection and it did not have all the upgrade parts fitted as seen when advertised for sale and shown on the internet. In late October Police seized the vehicle.  At this point the vehicle was fitted with all the upgraded SR5 parts. The examination confirmed that the suspect vehicle was actually stolen during August 2008 and was re-indentified as the Repairable Write off Hilux SR model that was inspected during June 2008.

On the 28th October the second vehicle was presented for inspection.  Again it was presented as a base model.  However police surveillance on the owner’s property identified that the car seen at the property looked different to the one presented for inspection.  Further enquiries confirmed this car was advertised for sale as an SR5 model.

Given the concerns identified a strike force was established to investigate the involvement of two Middle Eastern families in the rebirthing of Toyota Hilux vehicles.  The following are key points of the investigation:

• Examination of Registration and Stolen motor vehicle data that was sourced from the RTA and NMVTRC identified 837 stolen Toyota Hilux vehicles between January 2007 and May 2008.  When examined against the registration history of the persons of interest, it confirmed that they had registered 62 Hilux’s during the same period.  All 62 cars were presented as repairable write offs.
• Other issues identified were the documents they used to substantiate repairs and parts purchases.  In some instances the same documents were used against multiple cars.
• 40 cars were purchased and repaired by businesses owned by the families of interest.

In June 2009 investigators pursued two simultaneous strategies; the first was to use covert evidence gathering techniques on the family involved and their smash repair business.

The second was to conduct forensic examinations on vehicles that had been sold interstate.  In September 2009 Recall notices were posted to the owners of the vehicles sold in NSW.  Again these vehicles were examined. The examination of the vehicles confirmed that on most vehicles the Chassis numbers were changed and that many Hilux’s had been upgraded from SR models to SR5 specifications using stolen parts.

Of further concern were the poor repairs carried out on the cars which resulted in 24 vehicles being issued with major defect notices.

Search warrants were obtained and executed in November 2009.  A large amount of property was seized including:

• 12 Motor vehicles
• Documents relating to the sale of vehicles, and
• $120,000 cash

During the search a further 9 suspected rebirth vehicles were seized including a Mazda 3 upgraded to a SP23 using stolen parts.  This was one of the most successful investigations into Motor Vehicle Theft in New South Wales in recent times.

• 8 offenders were arrested with a total of 31 charges
• 85 Vehicles of interest were identified

In monetary value these offenders were earning around $20,000 per car estimated at an overall profit of around $1m.