Can anyone explain this to me?

[blackburn_stevie]

I was watching a TV show earlier today about how the Police work when dealing with car crime. In this particular show, a guy had had his car keys taken during a burglary and his car, a newish Merc, had been stolen using the keys. Now, without giving away their methods, the bloke in charge of the police investigation located the car inside a shipping container in Hamburg and had the container shipped back to UK. The container was opened here and it did actually contain the Merc which the owner got back.

OK, here's the bit that I don't get. The Police say that they have been unable to trace the actual bad guys. How come? Surely there is a paper trail as to who paid for the container plus a shipping address. It would also need to have been loaded somewhere so how come no guilty persons can be found?

[cee-dee]

Because any names on the paper trail were false as were any addresses.

[fishpieface]

Yes, that's what I'd have said too, and cash payment presumably.  I'm guessing

whoever was supposed to receive the container kept quiet when they realised it

had been intercepted.

[blackburn_stevie]

Thanks guys.

That idea sounds logical ........ right up until some bloke turns up to collect his container. I mean to say, how does he know that it has been tampered with until after he has turned up to collect it? 

#1 son owns a company working with container ships arriving at Southampton docks. ALL containers need to be fumigated so how would the crims know if it had been tampered with by the fumigation company or the Police?