FIVE supercars worth over half a million pounds have been stolen from a company offering racetrack driving experiences by a planned “gang heist”.
Disappointed racing fans were turned away from Car Chase Heroes in Norfolk after the luxury motors were taken in a daring raid on Friday night along with the keys to 50 others.
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The firm believe the thieves struck between midnight and 4am. The cars stolen were a red Lamborghini Huracan, a white Porsche Cayman, bronze Audi R8, a white and blue Volkswagen golf GTI and a Mercedes AMG GT. Tools and equipment were also stolen.
“I thought it was a practical joke at first,” said one of the company’s professional drivers when he described the moment he arrived at work and realised the cars were stolen.
Racing driver, James, 40, said the instructors all have a sense of humour and so he could not believe the “shocking” and “sad” news that Events Managers, Roy, announced in their usual morning briefing.
He said: “We soon realised the five cars were missing from the line up but they also took all the keys for the rest of the vehicles.
“There’s no spare keys which meant they were difficult to move as we couldn’t start them.
“At 8am we were told and by 8.30 the rest of the week was cancelled.
“They had to send out mass messages but some people even turned up having driven three to four hours to drive their dream cars, even young kids.
“Having to turn them away at the gate, it was pretty sad and of course they were not happy.”
Until now, the company which gives people the chance to pay and ride Lamborghinis and Ferraris, to name a few of high-priced and high-speed cars, had never been the victim of theft.
Car Chase Heroes, which describes itself as the UK’s #1 Driving Experience, runs day events like the one at Tibenham Airfield, just outside of Norwich.
This weekend, the company claimed to be hosting up to 400 people per day, each renting supercars for two hour slots, costing around £50 per vehicle.
The company was forced to send home every car fan who had booked on Saturday, Sunday and Monday because of the missing car keys which were stolen as well.
The freelance driver added: “It was premeditated – they came prepared. There were at least 5 of them that night.
“It was all very bizarre, people would think the keys were kept in a tray but the thieves went straight to the little towing trailer to take the keys and even some tools too.
“It was not opportunistic, it was very clearly a planned heist, they knew very well there was a back entrance and planned it from there.
“I’ve been driving there on and off for two years and I only just learned of this gate so somehow they had the information.”
The driver believed the thieves were part of a “London gang” due to a video on social media he saw showing young men driving two of the stolen cars, the Ferrari and the Mercedes, in the capital.
The group arrived on the site where the 30 supercars were housed in the early hours of Saturday morning, around 4:30, breaking through the property’s back gates.
Company staff were puzzled as to why the four people sleeping in a van and a motorhome on site were not woken up by the sound of the loud cars.
James said: “These cars are not quiet. They’re supercars, so when they start up they’re bloody loud.
“It’s a bit bizarre, but maybe they just got lucky.”
The supercar experience provider, which is based in Llandow, South Wales, went to its Facebook account on Saturday with a plea for any information posting the message with photos of the five stolen vehicles.
The post read: “Sadly 5 of our cars were taken in the Norfolk area last night.
“If anyone has seen or heard anything then please let either us or the Police know.”
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The most expensive stolen vehicle was found by local police near Bristol on Sunday evening being transported on a low loader trailer.
James explained that the Hurricane was likely sold on the black market, with the rest of the cars believed to be in Barking or the Isle of Dogs.
Roy Millwood, the events manager for the firm told ITV Anglia: “Nobody likes to have items, cars and valuables stolen but when it’s done right under your nose it’s even more of a sore sport.”
“We’ve got security in the trucks, we had people sleeping in there so they literally slipped right through the net.
“Members of staff are really upset. It’s a very big destruction [sic] to the company itself as well as the poor people scheduled today to come and drive these vehicles, and we do not have them on site so yeah very, very upset.”
Police and forensic crews were at the site as an investigation has been launched.
A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said: “Police received a report of theft on 28 September 2024. The incident happened between midnight and 4am on Saturday when five supercars were stolen from Tibenham Airfield.
“Officers are conducting a number of enquiries and would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may be able to assist the investigation.
“Anyone with any information is asked to get in touch via the following channels quoting crime reference 36/69420/24.”
The Sun has approached Car Chase Heroes for comment.
