Detectives from Northumbria Police's High Impact Team have been targeting a new type of criminal: young car thieves who steal high-value vehicles for social media content. The specialized unit was established to tackle crime sprees causing misery in Newcastle communities.
Shift in Criminal Tactics
Det Sgt Chris Johnson, who leads the High Impact Team, explained that the nature of burglaries has evolved. Officers are now seeing young offenders, some as young as 11, sneaking into homes to steal keys to expensive cars as part of TikTok challenges. Worryingly, some youths aim to provoke police pursuits to generate more online content. "Now we have a lot of young offenders looking at social media and TikToks and vying against each other to go out and steal high value cars," Det Sgt Johnson said. "They will go out and see who can get the best Mercedes. They even like to get a police chase so they can film it for social media."
Thrill-Seeking Behavior
Det Sgt Johnson noted that these thefts are often not for financial gain but for status and excitement. "The majority of them now are more juvenile offenders doing it for the fun of it," he said. The thieves operate in groups, sharing techniques for stealing cars. They target homes at night, trying door handles to find unlocked doors. "So many people continue to leave their doors unlocked and their car keys close to the door," he added.
Challenges in Sentencing
Most offenders are aged between 17 and 25, and due to their age, they are sentenced as young offenders, often returning to the streets quickly. "In the eyes of the law a 25-year-old is seen as a young offender and it has a massive impact on their sentencing. The penalties for them at this age isn't a deterrent," Det Sgt Johnson said. The team has managed to imprison key offenders, but displacement remains a concern. "We have had so many and put so many in jail for hitting Newcastle, but they will tend to move on to other areas. We don't want to displace it."
Community and Education Efforts
Police are working with schools and communities to educate young people about the risks and to encourage homeowners to lock their doors. "We have to try and get in there with the community and work with the schools to identify when young children are being coerced by older offenders," Det Sgt Johnson said. The team is also adapting to digital-age policing, with younger, tech-savvy officers sharing skills with experienced detectives.
Successful Prosecutions
Three offenders—Daniel Dixon, Dylan Marshall, and Aiden McMahon—were sentenced for a series of burglaries across Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland. They stole Porsches, Mercedes, and BMWs worth £460,000 during an eight-week spree in October and November 2024. Many cars were later found with false plates. Dixon, 26, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years; Marshall, 21, for eight-and-a-half years; and McMahon, 27, for three years.
