Stolen Land Rover found via Facebook in Telford street

The vehicle, which is worth around £8,000 was seen parked in a road in St Georges by a Land Rover enthusiast.

It had been taken from Walsall in November last year and bought in good faith by a Telford resident.

Police said the witness's suspicions were first aroused when he noted that the registration year on the number plates of the car didn't match the actual model and specification of the vehicle.

Looking at a Land Rover group page on the Facebook social media site, they saw a post from the owner of a very similar looking car saying theirs had been stolen.

Police in Telford were then able to make contact with the owner of the stolen Defender who provided officers with details of a number of modifications they had made to their vehicle, and which matched those on the car found in St Georges.

However, police said it took an in-depth examination by an experienced Police Vehicle Examiner and mechanic to confirm its true identity.

PCSO Ann Moore from Donnington police station said: "The thieves had gone to very extensive lengths to try and conceal the identification marks on the Land Rover in St Georges.

"Vehicle identification plates had been transferred from a donor car which linked to the registration number being displayed on the stolen one.

"This had then been purchased in good faith by a local resident with all the paperwork on the face of it appearing in order.

"Land Rovers, especially the Defender model, are highly prized commodities around the world and are often targets for very organised crime gangs. What perhaps surprised us is how close to home this one was found as it's not uncommon for them to be shipped out of the country very soon after the theft.

"Our advice to would be purchasers is always to check documentation against what is physically displayed on the vehicle very carefully and then ask yourself if everything looks okay.

"Does the design and equipment relevant to the model year match the year it was registered? Does the VIN plate seem to have been tampered with, perhaps are there shiny new rivets fixing it in place or it is obscured or missing completely?

"Also remember the old adage, if it's too good to be true, it probably is. Why would someone want to sell a vehicle at a large discount against what you would expect to be paying?"

She added "particularly with Land Rover vehicles, there are no end of specialist owners groups and clubs, along with internet forums where people will be only too happy to share their advice and knowledge to help you find the vehicle you want.

"Unfortunately, while this has been a happy ending for the gent from Walsall who had his car stolen and now has it back, for the person in Telford who purchased the car in all innocence, they will be left several thousands of pounds out of pocket."

Enquiries into the theft will be continued by West Midlands Police.