Final Deal: The Freeman Files Series - Book 5 by Ted Tayler

Author:Ted Tayler [Tayler, Ted]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-10T22:00:00+00:00

Thursday, 24th May 2018

“Welcome back, guv,” said Neil, “did you enjoy the break?”

“I didn’t think you’d miss me, Neil.”

“We didn’t stay as late as on previous nights, I grant you, but we’ve compiled a list of witnesses to re-interview. I took a closer look at the new evidence. Do you want to go through it with me?”

“What will Luke and Lydia be doing when they arrive?” asked Gus.

“Contacting our witnesses to arrange times and dates, guv,” said Neil, “they’ll have enough to occupy them until lunchtime.”

“Set them up on that when they get here, Neil. I’ll skim through the reports in the murder file, then when you’re free we’ll go over our first impressions. Does that make sense?”

Neil nodded and dumped the thick murder file on Gus’s desk.

Gus started to read media reports from three years ago.

‘Detectives swooped on garages across the West to make arrests. The majority were in the Swindon area. Police discovered a gang buying second-hand cars from auctions and then significantly reducing the mileage and getting new documents for the vehicles before selling them. Detective Inspector Trefor Davies told this reporter: "It's been a productive and lengthy investigation involving a huge volume of paperwork and documents. The operation was one of the largest that Wiltshire Police has ever undertaken. Now it will be harder for this to happen again because we will be alive to it and be ready to support our partners in immediate investigations. This case sends out a clear message that you can't get away with this sort of crime. It is also a timely moment to remind people that when you do buy a car, make sure you get its complete history and documentation. That helps us prevent scams such as this re-occurring.’

‘Detectives believe one-hundred and fifty cars were involved in the clocking scam that involved vehicles worth three-quarters of a million pounds. Operation Loki saw officers seize logbooks, MOT details, financial documents and computers from eleven garages.’

Fascinating stuff, Gus thought, but how does this connect to the Gates case?

Neil was free now. Luke and Lydia were busy phoning potential witnesses.

“I thought clocking was an ancient analogue crime, Neil,” he said, “why didn’t this disappear when everything went digital?”

“Electronic displays can leave motorists more vulnerable behind the wheel than ever, guv. The number of cars on UK roads with mileage discrepancies has risen to over five per cent, according to the latest figures. The number of vehicles clocked has shot up, with an increase of nearly a third in just five years.”

“A lucrative business, I imagine. With the already beleaguered motorist out of pocket.”

“To the tune of eight hundred million pounds, guv.”

Gus whistled.

“Walk me through the rest of this, Neil,” said Gus, “my Ford Focus has never had any mileage adjustments. I think it resembles a dying breed of human. One which grows old gracefully.”

“Clocking is easier for newer cars because they don’t get MOT tested for the first three or four years. With no official record of their mileage, it’s difficult to verify.

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