Drivers forced to 'steal back' own Jaguar E-Pace as 'overwhelmed' police failed to help search

The Jaguar came equipped with a ghost immobiliser, making it harder to steal, as well as an AirTag locator, The Times reported.

The couple found that the car was parked around three miles away in Chiswick, prompting them to call the police to notify them of the vehicle's location.

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When speaking with the 999 operator, they were told that the police were unsure when they would be able to investigate.

They were also told to call the 101 non-emergency number if they searched for the vehicle and found it themselves.

The car was first noted as being missing on Wednesday, June 4, with the AirTag last noticing the vehicle outside the home at around 3.20am.

The next update saw the vehicle located in Chiswick at 10.30am, forcing the couple to act, even without assistance from the police.

The couple eventually travelled to the pinged location of the AirTag and found the Jaguar E-Pace on a back street in Chiswick.

While the car was discovered, the Times reported that the interior had been ripped out as the criminals attempted to access the wiring.

Forbes Pirie and Simpson had installed extra security measures in the vehicle as they had previously had another car stolen.

The couple suspected that the theft was "reasonably sophisticated", claiming that a tow truck or a flat-bed truck could have been used to transport the vehicle.

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Forbes Pirie, a successful barrister, posted on networking platform LinkedIn that "stealing" the car back was "kind of fun".

Despite this, she questioned whether this type of crime would continue to plague the streets if there were no repercussions from an "overwhelmed" police force.

Following the couple retrieving the vehicle, the Metropolitan Police said it would be in touch, with a forensic team set to arrive this week.

Speaking to The Times, Forbes Pirie said: "Since we’ve found it, lots of people have touched the car and the police say that they're going to look underneath the carpets and at the fuse box to see if there are prints there.

"But it wouldn’t have cost very much for them to tell us not to touch anything. That's the one criticism I have."

Across London last year, data from the Metropolitan Police states there were 33,530 offences of "theft or unauthorised taking" of motor vehicles. The Met Police has specially designated officers who tackle motor vehicle crime in theft hotspots around the capital.

Speaking to GB News, a spokesperson for the Met Police said: "On Tuesday, June 3, at 10.06am, police were alerted to the theft of a vehicle on Sterndale Road, W14. Officers spoke to the victim, who shared his intention to recover the vehicle himself. An Apple AirTag was inside, allowing the victim to view its location and trace it.

"The victim was reminded by officers to contact police again as needed or if police assistance was necessary at the vehicle’s location. At 11.23am the victim confirmed with police that he had found the vehicle and that it was being recovered by a truck back to the victim’s home address.

"This investigation is ongoing and police are working with the victim. No arrests have been made at this stage. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 2311/03JUN. To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."