Crooks used scanning device to steal keyless car worth £19,000 from street in Leeds

Brandon Jarrett and Jeffrey Chikosha bought the device online for just £50 before stealing the vehicle which was worth £19,000.

Leeds Crown Court heard how the pair stole the vehicle from Sycamore Avenue, Halton, on May 7 this year.

David Ward, prosecuting, said the defendants were seen walking around the street using a scanner device which can open cars operated by electronic key systems.

Details of the stolen car were circulated by the police and the vehicle was found in Seacroft three days later.

Damage worth £2,700 had been caused to the vehicle.

The police investigation team said the damage was likely to have been caused when attempts were made to see if the car was fitted with a tracking device.

CCTV footage showed Chikosha and Jarrett getting out of the car and they were identified from the images.

Chikosha was arrested two days later and his mobile phone was seized.

Jarrett was also arrested and his phone showed that he was also in the area at the time of the theft.

Chikosha admitted driving the vehicle but claimed he had not been involved in the theft.

Jarrett denied any wrongdoing and claimed he had been visiting relatives who live near to where the car was stolen.

Both men later pleaded guilty to theft.

Chikosha, 23, of Wykebeck Mount, Leeds, has previous convictions for assault, burglary and driving offences.

Jo Shepherd, mitigating for Chikosha, said the offence could not be described as sophisticated as the scanners could be bought on the internet for between £40 and £50.

She added that Chikosha had pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage.

Phillip Morris, for Jarrett, also asked that his client be given credit for his early guilty plea.

Judge Simon Phillips QC jailed both men for 21 months.