Two men from Harold Hill have been jailed for their roles in a “highly sophisticated” vehicle theft and dismantling enterprise that saw luxury cars worth up to £3.3 million stolen and stripped for parts.
George Abzhandadze, 51, and Davit Nakashidze, 46, both of Redcar Road, joined a criminal gang responsible for targeting high-value vehicles—mostly Range Rovers, Jaguars, and Mercedes-Benz models—across Essex and multiple regions of the UK including Hertfordshire, Southampton, and Devon.
Secret Chop Shop Exposed After Tip-Off
The illicit operation was uncovered at a secluded unit at Paul’s Farm, Little Bardfield, after a concerned local contacted police in 2024. Investigators later discovered the unit functioned as a chop shop, used to strip stolen cars for parts.
Essex Police launched a major surveillance operation, monitoring the site for 115 days with covert CCTV, capturing 47 vehicles being driven in and dismantled.
A court heard the vehicles had been stolen via relay attack keyless entry hacks using military-grade signal jammers, allowing thieves to unlock and drive cars without keys.
Key Figures and Sentences
All four men admitted their involvement and were sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 22 May:
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Davit Nakashidze – 4 years, 6 months
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George Abzhandadze – 4 years, 5 months
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Revaz Mumladze, 45 (no fixed address) – 4 years, 5 months
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Lukas Meskauskas, 29, of The Hides, Harlow – 5 years, 10 months
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Meskauskas played a central role managing payments and liaising with gang leaders. He had prior convictions linked to similar chop shop activity.
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Organised and Global
Three containers of stripped car parts were discovered:
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One intercepted before shipping—contents valued at £40,000
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One arrived in Dubai
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One found intact on site during police raids
Fugitive Suspect
A fifth man, Michael Casey, 24, of Warley Street, Brentwood, failed to attend court and is believed to be in Australia, having left the UK on an Irish passport.
Despite his absence, Judge Alexander Mills sentenced him to 2 years and 8 months, stating:
“All of this shows a complete disregard for court order and respect for the law.”
Police and Judicial Response
The judge made clear the seriousness of the conspiracy and the vital role of signal jammers in its success:
“The enterprise could not have acted in the conveyor belt manner that it did without your work.”
“You have no legitimate or lawful reason for being in possession of [these devices].”
Leader Yet to Be Sentenced
The chop shop unit had been rented by Waheed Yousef, of Stanhope Gardens, Ilford, described as a ringleader. Yousef and two other alleged leaders have admitted charges and will face a Newton hearing next month to determine the extent of their culpability before sentencing.
