Wanted cars for Africa
The Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 have the dubious honor of being among the most stolen cars in the Netherlands. Fortunately, a gang has now been rounded up that specifically stole these models and shipped them to Africa.
The Belgian police have arrested two suspects who stole cars in the Netherlands and shipped them to Africa. They mainly targeted the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4, the police say. The thieves hid the loot in sea containers that were transported by ship to Ghana via the port of Antwerp. The arrested suspects, a 36-year-old Belgian of Ghanaian descent and a 48-year-old Belgian, had contacts there. The police do not want to say whether the gang had also branched out in the Netherlands, so as not to harm the investigation. That investigation should also reveal exactly how many cars the thieves have seized.
The Belgian police intercepted a container containing a number of stolen Mazdas. The thieves may have mainly opted for the two Japanese cars because they are known to be reliable, the police suggest. According to Chief Commissioner Patrick Willocx, the healing of cars from Western Europe in Africa is a lucrative trade that flourishes particularly around major ports such as Antwerp.
Earlier this year it was revealed that the Toyota RAV4 was the most stolen car in the Netherlands in the first half of 2022. No less than 192 RAV4s were stolen in our country during that period. The Mazda CX-5 was in fourth place, with 92 stolen units. Only 22 percent of stolen RAV4s were recovered and the recovery rate for the CX-5 was slightly lower at 21 percent. There is a good chance that the now rounded up gang had a large share in the disappearance of these cars.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl