Holden investigation yields results

 The South Australian Police (SAPOL) held a press conference today to announce seven arrests, arising out of an investigation into alleged theft at Holden's vehicle assembly plant in Elizabeth.

According to a statement issued by SAPOL, detectives from the Organised Crime Investigation Branch have charged six persons from South Australia and one from Queensland. Only one of those arrested was employed at Holden during the two years that engines and transmissions were reported missing.  Police made the first arrest late last month and the most recent arrest took place yesterday.

"We are not ruling out further arrests," said Detective Superintendent Peter Harvey during the press conference. "Enquiries are continuing to identify engines and transmissions purchased by members of the public.

"The investigators have received large amounts of useful information from the public, employees at GMH, and people involved in the motor sport industry. I encourage anyone with a 6 litre or 6.2 litre Holden V8 engine or a transmission, who bought them in circumstances which might raise some suspicions about their origin, or anyone with information regarding the thefts to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," he said.

Police launched the investigation back in January, after discovering two V8 engines packed in shipping crates at an address in Salisbury East, close to Elizabeth. The taskforce — named Operation Echidna — was established to investigate the alleged criminal activity, said to have cost Holden around $2 million. Based on an audit conducted by the car manufacturer, 140 V8 engines and 175 "heavy-duty" transmissions are reported to have been stolen.

To date, 30 of the engines and 103 of the transmissions have been recovered.

Police have charged the individuals arrested with theft and laundering money. Most of those charged hail from South Australia, but one man lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Ages range from 26 (a man from Para Hills, SA) to 40. One woman, aged 35, from Loxton SA, was among the seven arrested. Police will allege that the seven, who have been bailed and are due to appear in Elizabeth Magistrates Court on August 22, were involved in the transportation and distribution of the stolen items, and that they further operated bank accounts to manage money raised from the sale of the goods.

Holden's Executive Director of Manufacturing, Richard Phillips (pictured), described the case as "a high-level, sophisticated criminal fraud".

"Holden's inventory tracking and order systems are robust and in line with global standards. In late 2010, Holden's systems uncovered a number of missing engines triggering an internal investigation which actually began before the Police operation and ran simultaneously, and eventually in conjunction, with SA Police's investigation," Mr Phillips added.

"GM Holden's internal investigation has already identified certain areas in which we can further tighten both inventory controls and security measures...all necessary steps will be taken to protect GM Holden from criminal activity."

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