Rescued refugee on theft charges

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An Afghan refugee who came to New Zealand as one of the Tampa boatpeople is facing criminal charges, accused of running a "chop shop" which shipped stolen car parts overseas.

Mohammed Hashem Basiri, 37, is the director of Aryana Auto Parts, and appeared in the Waitakere District Court on 21 counts of receiving stolen property.

Police raided the West Auckland panel and paint shop last month and say they found engines and parts belonging to 21 stolen cars.

They say Basiri would buy cars for as little as $100 and strip the engines, transmissions and panels for sale in Auckland or overseas.

One Holden Commodore worth $20,000 was allegedly bought for $2000.

It's understood Basiri has shipped nearly 50 freight containers to Asia and the Middle East over the past three years, although there is no suggestion all the parts in them were stolen.

He came to New Zealand in 2001 seeking asylum with 131 other Afghan refugees rescued from a sinking Indonesian ferry by the Norwegian freighter Tampa.

Police figures show 20,000 cars are stolen each year - insurance estimates are double that - and 67 per cent are recovered. The thieves are caught in only one in five cases.

The 6500 cars a year that are never found are a huge source of business for organised criminals who steal the cars to order for parts at "chop shops" or to "rebirth" as apparently legitimate vehicles.

Insurance companies pay more than $100 million a year in car theft claims.

That results in rising car insurance premiums, says automotive engineer Frank de Jong, who runs a car recovery and reward business financed by insurance companies.

Mr de Jong said car theft was "not high on the police agenda" and a national unit was needed to crack car rings.

Police have had some successes, including one operation that found hundreds of Toyota vans had been taken to "chop shops" then shipped to the Middle East in parts.