POLICE were confident yesterday they had dismantled a ring of car thieves after the arrest of four suspects – two Cypriots and two foreigners, the force’s chief said.

Michalis Papageorgiou said the men are suspected of stealing cars and then replacing their chassis, engine and registration numbers before selling them to unsuspecting punters.

The suspects used the numbers taken from cars that had been wrecked in accidents, bought at low cost.

They then stole cars of the same make and colour, changed the numbers, and sold them.

“They presented the vehicles as genuine and unfortunately they sold them to unsuspecting people,” Papageorgiou said. He said they believe they have the mastermind in custody “but it is very premature to say this with certainty.”

Police said they caught the suspects red handed during a raid at three venues in Nicosia, Limassol and Dhali.

Papageorgiou said they have located five cars so far, two of which had been confirmed as being stolen.

The chief said some 300 cars have been stolen since the beginning of the year, which police had been unable to locate.

He said a lot of dismantled vehicles were found in the suspects’ possession, which will be examined to determine their origin.