Whitehall 1212
Former Member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
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I don't have any evidence that JC was accomplished in stealing motor vehicles in 1986. What I would say though if one works within the motor trade (a petrol head), commits transient crime and serves five years in prison, then the odds of not being versed in how to break into a 80's vehicle and hot wire it are in my book pretty slim. I would go so far as to say that JC was that manipulative and outwardly convincing as the 'businessman' type that he could have the owners keys away and a new plate made up in no time. Call it intuition based on experience.There’s no evidence to support the theory that JC had enough knowledge to allow him to steal cars.
Generally salesman (which JC was) looked down on workshop staff, as a result unless a special relationship developed workshop staff kept themselves to themselves.
Ford Sierra locks were a new development at the time, it didn’t take long for thieves to work out they could be unlocked with a matchstick and a tennis ball. Other makes could be unlocked with just a 12” steel ruler.
The BMW referenced all those years later was thought to be left hand drive, what about the Belgium diamond dealers BMW?
The whole story around this looks very dodgy.
The 'information' of a left hand driver BMW, was speculative, based purely on the fact that person in the right-hand front seat was struggling the occupant of the left-hand seat. The 'conclusion' drawn by the witness was that the individual in the right-hand seat could not be struggling and driving at the same time! Therefore it MUST be LHD.
We need to be careful about using unestablished facts to support an argument. Some information is more reliable than other information, particularly in this case, given the passage of time. All we do know for certain is:
1. SJL left Sturgis at approximately 12:30 hours on Monday 28th July 1986
2. SLJ's car was found on Stevenage Road, SW6 at approximately 22:00 on Monday 28th July 1986
Everything else has degrees of reliability and uncertainty, depending on the sources reliability, any independent corroboration or other supporting information.
We know very little of what the police have and the credibility they place on the various witnesses. The weight we place on information in the public domain is not the same as that of the investigative team.