POLICE in Merseyside are set to crackdown on gangs who steal cars and use their crime contacts to sell the stripped-down parts overseas.

Officers said they will be acting on intelligence gathered from the public in an effort to halt the rise in car thefts in the region.

An increase of between 15 and 20% has been recorded in the past year, with vehicles being taken to warehouses and stripped down before the parts are put into containers and shipped for sale overseas.

Last week, a property on Dunnett Street, in Bootle, was raided as part of Operation Valiant.

Detective Chief Inspector Tracy Hayes, who led the operation, said 20 stolen cars were recovered, along with hundreds of car parts.

DCI Hayes told the Post: “This was a sophisticated operation targeting all makes and models of cars.

“One gang was stealing them and dropping them off.

“Another gang were breaking them up and then exporting the parts, which could be being used to build entirely new cars abroad.”

Around 60% of cars stolen on Merseyside are not recovered, fuelling police theories that the business of breaking up and selling cars is one organised gangs are turning to as a way to make money.

Among the vehicles found during Thursday’s raid were Volvos, Fords, Chryslers, BMWs, Mercedes, Audis and Vauxhalls.