A CONMAN used fake identities to lead a criminal operation which stole cars worth more than £250,000, a court heard.

Stephen Probert, 40, of no fixed abode, posed as a potential car buyer with his girlfriend, Victoria Banks, and later Samantha Wright, to steal high value vehicles, dodging police across the UK until he was featured on Crimewatch.

Probert led and organised a ‘sophisticated’ operation, stealing 27 motor vehicles from garages and homes, Newport Crown Court was told. He pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to conspiracy to steal 17 vehicles between June 2013, and October 2014.

Victoria Banks, 31, of Clos Coed, Blackwood; Samantha Wright, 28, of Woodfield Terrace, Mountain Ash; Keri Davies, 31, of Elm Drive, Risca; Anthony Woodington, 40, of Wood Street, Maerdy; and Neil Roberts, 33, of Henllys, Trebanog, were also sentenced for their parts in the conspiracy after pleading guilty - although the court heard Probert was the ringleader.

Probert also headed a separate group which stole cars worth more than £100,000 from November 2011 to July 2012, the court heard.

After the first set of car thefts, it was said, Probert used false documents to move to Cyprus. But he returned and accompanied by girlfriends stole vehicles across the UK using false names. Amongst the thefts was a Volkswagen Golf valued at £10,000, from Leeway Trade Centre in Newport, and an Audi A3 worth £10,000, taken from Carno Car Sales Ebbw Vale.

Probert, Banks and Kelly Stephens, 32, of Commercial Street, Risca, were also sentenced for their part in conspiring to pass counterfeit money as genuine.

Around £27,000 of counterfeit money was seized at the home of Stephens. The money was forensically linked with other notes being used by Probert and Banks.

Judge David Wynn Morgan called Probert a ‘devious and manipulative criminal’ on Friday, sentencing him to 21 months imprisonment.

Probert is already serving consecutive sentences of six years for conspiracy to steal motor cars and ten years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

He will now serve 17 years and nine months in total.

Banks was handed a 32 week sentence suspended for two years, while Wright was bailed for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, Davies was sent to prison for 32 weeks, as was Woodington, Roberts was made to serve a community order for 12 months, and Stephens was issued with a community order for 12 months, and made to complete 50 hours of unpaid work.