Kyle Camp, the mastermind behind a gang responsible for a £4 million spree of car thefts, has been sentenced to 14 years and four months in prison by Manchester Crown Court. The 30-year-old orchestrated a network of burglaries across Greater Manchester, targeting luxury vehicles such as BMWs, Audis, and Mercedes, which were dismantled in chop shops or sold abroad.
Camp and his gang of mostly teenage accomplices, aged 15 to 20, operated with alarming audacity, breaking into homes and threatening victims at knifepoint to steal high-value cars. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) revealed that the spree began in 2021, with crimes often committed while homeowners were asleep.
One chilling case involved Camp and his accomplices stealing a car from a Chadderton residence at 3:00 AM after the homeowner spotted a masked figure peering through his kitchen window. Armed with knives, the gang managed to steal the car keys despite the owner’s attempts to stop them.
The gang’s brutality escalated in Oldham when Camp and another offender followed a victim home, assaulted him, and pinned him to the ground before fleeing in his BMW. Another victim in Rochdale was dragged from his bed and forced to hand over car keys at knifepoint.
Camp’s capture stemmed from meticulous police work. DNA evidence linked him to a snood left in a stolen vehicle, while mobile phone records revealed social media posts in which he boasted about his stolen cars. Despite initially pleading not guilty, Camp later admitted to burglary, theft, robbery, and handling stolen goods.
Camp’s spree caused lasting trauma for victims, with one relocating due to the emotional toll. Detective Constable Chris Chinnery described the crimes as “industrial-scale operations” with devastating impacts on the victims’ lives.
The gang’s activity spanned 15 burglaries over two months, including car thefts, motorbike heists, and violent robberies. Police recovered stolen vehicles on several occasions, often fitted with false number plates, highlighting the gang’s efforts to evade detection.
Camp’s arrest at a kebab shop in July 2023 marked the end of his reign of terror. Seven accomplices had already been convicted, reflecting GMP’s commitment to dismantling the gang.
This case underscores the consequences of organized crime, with victims left grappling with emotional scars long after the stolen vehicles were recovered.
