Three car thieves from Oxford have been jailed for a total of 48 months for stealing high performance cars to order.

Ronald Denton, 19, of Friars Wharf, St Ebbes, was sentenced to 24 months for three offences, Mohammed Arabi, 27, of Ladenham Road, Blackbird Leys, 16 months for two offences and 26-year-old Dean Ratcliffe, of Sorrell Road, Blackbird Leys, eight months on a single charge.

John Small, prosecuting, told Northampton Crown Court yesterday the case concerned two stolen BMWs and a Vauxhall Vectra.

The first BMW, taken from Witney in March, was found by police in Wheatley.

Denton, who admitted receiving the BMW, was also seen with Arabi in another BMW which had been stolen at Deddington. After arresting Denton, police searched a farm at Chalgrove rented by Ratcliffe and Arabi and sub-let to Denton. In it was a partly-stripped Vectra which had been stolen in Carterton.

Speaking after the case, an Oxford police spokesman said: "We are very pleased with this result and feel the sentences reflect the gravity of the crime."