Brothers duped luxury motor enthusiasts with ?350000 car-clocking …
Two brothers were hauled before the courts after their £350,000 car-clocking scam was rumbled. Nathan and Slybeat Muronda began importing high performance sports cars from Japan in 2010.
The siblings would sell the luxury vehicles, which included a Nissan Skyline, Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi Evo, on various internet sales sites. But the mileages shown on the adverts and documents were lower than the true distance travelled.
Stafford Crown Court heard the duo tampered with the odometers to increase the value of the cars, then sold them to unsuspecting victims at inflated prices. Many buyers were enthusiasts and collectors who bought the highly-sought after cars as investments, StokeonTrentLive reports[1].
The pair both pleaded guilty to offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Nathan Muronda, 45, of Dimsdale Parade West, Bradwell, was given a 10-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay £2,500 costs and a £140 victim surcharge. However, because he has already served 11 months on remand, he will not spend further time in prison.
Slybeat Muronda, 41, of Lingfield Road, Cannock, was sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to pay costs £2,500 and a £140 victim surcharge.
The sentences followed a four-year investigation by officers from Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards service. Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Victoria Wilson, cabinet member for Trading Standards, said: “Car clocking is an age-old crime and is something that our Trading Standards team continues to deal with.
“Car clocking is where criminals deliberately tamper with vehicles’ odometers to reduce mileage and increase the value of used cars. In this particular case, the cars involved were older sports/performance types that are appealing to enthusiasts, collectors and investors.
“This isn’t a victimless crime. We know that not only were people in Staffordshire affected but buyers from across the country and even in the USA and Canada were also caught up in the scam. We are pleased that this case has reached a satisfactory outcome and I would remind other traders thinking about the practice, that we will take prompt action where we see it happening.”
References
- ^ StokeonTrentLive reports (www.expressandstar.com)
- ^ Mum-of-three made £700 by reporting neighbour’s ‘eyesore’ home (www.birminghammail.co.uk)