A car thief who sped off in three BMW X5 cars advertised for sale on the internet was caught by the angry owners who got together on Facebook to trap him.

When Jason Moss turned up, disguised in a grey wig, to nab a fourth vehicle, he was apprehended by his victims who made a citizens’ arrest, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

They lured Moss, 36, to Duckworth Lane, Bradford, by advertising an overpriced BMW X5 they knew only he would want to “buy”.

Moss, of Falkland Road, Ravenscliffe, Bradford, pleaded guilty to stealing three BMW X5s and was jailed for 12 months.

Miss Morland said all the vehicles were advertised on internet sales site Gumtree. Moss rang to arrange to see the cars and then drove off in them.

He took the first one from Leeds on October 15. He pretended to be checking the brakes on the £6,000 vehicle and then sped off.

He was arrested but struck twice again, in Bradford, while on bail.

Moss stole a £10,500 BMW X5 on October 29 while “testing the gearbox”, and another one on November 1.

After that, his victims contacted one another on Facebook and hatched their plan to catch him.

He was arrested by the police after the citizens’ arrest and held in custody.