Five involved in stolen car scam

Five men have admitted their part in a stolen car scam worth more than £600,000.

The gang pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and handling stolen goods at Southwark Crown Court.

Police found a hip-hop video describing car thefts while searching a house during their investigation.

Rap-style lyrics described the thrill of "Twocing cars" (taking cars without consent) and "car keys and sacks of cash", the court heard.

The group sold 47 stolen high performance cars, including Porsches.

'Professional enterprise'

Jason Edwards, 29, of Chingford, Essex, and Christopher Williams, 30, of Enfield, north London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud between August 2003 and May 2005.

David Hannington, 41, of Plymouth, Devon, Clinton Douglas, 29, and Robert Keavy, both from Tottenham, north London, admitted 14 counts of handling stolen goods involving the selling of one of the vehicles.

The court heard the gang forged documents for the stolen vehicles, including history checks and registration and then sold them at a low price under false names.

Police found the lyrics from the video, which were written by Edwards, during a search at his home.

Benjamin Douglas-Jones, prosecuting, said: "Officers found a script from a music video in which he [Edwards] describes the use of three stolen cars."

Williams, a father-of-one, was the "managing director" of the "very significant, very professional car ringing enterprise", he added.

The group told police that the cars fetched them about £268,650.

All five will be sentenced on Monday.