The West Midlands Police crushed an award-winning show car after finding it was a ‘cut-and-shut’ of stolen parts – and warned other drivers to be wary they don’t buy a dud.

Traffic officers stopped the stunning green BMW M3 Estate on Dartmouth Middleway on 15 November last year.

The eagle-eyed officers knew something wasn’t quite right: namely that BMW have never to date manufactured an elongated M3!

It was seized for inspection and their suspicions proved spot on as they found the car – seen on YouTube at a car show in Germany – was a death-trap botched together from at least four cars.

Parts were traced to one BMW M3 stolen on 30 September 2019 from a car showroom in All Saints, #Wolverhampton, plus another M3 Stolen on 20 March 2018 in #SuttonColdfield.

Two estate vehicles had been used to create the main body and the panoramic roof.

They have now shredded the illegal vehicle at a specialist scrapyard and urged car buyers to lookout for tell-tale signs that can help them avoid buying a cloned car – and potentially save their lives.

⚠️This should act as a striking reminder that cars may not be what they seem. You might think you’re buying a bargain but it could be a death-trap that cost your life as well as thousands of pounds.

Their Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) is training increasing numbers of officers to examine cars we stop to identify if they are cloned or feature stolen parts.

They are patrolling the region, stopping and checking any modified vehicles for insurance and stolen parts, and any we find will face the same fate as this M3 show car.

Their specialist vehicle examiner Boyd Howells says the force has had to seize countless cars from people who thought they’d bagged a bargain – but in reality had paid criminals for illegal vehicles made using stolen parts.

He said: “These buyers don’t get their money back. We seize the vehicle as it’s illegal and unsafe – and I’m pretty sure criminal gangs selling such vehicles don’t offer compensation!

“That’s why it’s really important car buyers are switched on to the signs a car could be dodgy.

“One of the most important messages to still remember is ‘if it looks too good to be true, it probably is’. Ask yourself why is such a good looking car such an attractive price? ⚠️