Havering Joint Task Force arrests after Hornchurch car theft and raids, 2026

Key Points

• A vehicle was reported stolen from Hornchurch High Street at 10.53am on Thursday 23 July.
• Police located the suspected stolen car in Dagenham and authorised a pursuit after reports of two alleged robberies in Dagenham and Barking.
• During the chase, the vehicle collided with three other cars before stopping; three men were arrested at the scene.
• Joshua Wiggins, 28; Terry Hayday, 39; and Aaron Keenan, 29 — all of no fixed abode — were charged with multiple offences including theft, dangerous driving and driving without insurance.
• All three appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Saturday 25 July, were remanded into custody and are due back in court on Friday 21 August.
• Havering Joint Task Force officers were credited with “outstanding” and “proactive” work in bringing the investigation to a swift conclusion.

Hornchurch (East London Times) July 27, 2026 — A vehicle theft in Hornchurch escalated into two alleged cash-till robberies in neighbouring boroughs and ended in a police pursuit involving collisions with three other vehicles, leading to the arrest and remand of three men, according to Havering police.ucm.calpoly+1

As reported in the Havering Joint Task Force statement, the incident began at 10.53am on Thursday 23 July when officers were called to reports of a vehicle being stolen from Hornchurch High Street. Following immediate enquiries, officers established that the stolen vehicle was believed to be in the Rush Green Road area of Dagenham.

Shortly after, police received a report that a robbery had allegedly taken place at a premises on Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, during which a cash till was reportedly stolen. A second report followed of another robbery at a shop on Longbridge Road, Barking, where it was alleged that a further cash till had also been stolen.

Acting quickly, officers located a vehicle matching the description of the one reported stolen and initiated an authorised police pursuit. During the pursuit, the vehicle was involved in a collision with three other vehicles before eventually coming to a stop. Officers moved in swiftly, arresting three men at the scene.

Following their investigation, police charged:

• Joshua Wiggins, 28, of no fixed abode, with theft, theft of a motor vehicle, driving without insurance, dangerous driving and theft from a shop.
• Terry Hayday, 39, of no fixed abode, with theft of a motor vehicle and theft.
• Aaron Keenan, 29, of no fixed abode, with theft, theft of a motor vehicle and theft from a shop.

All three men appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Saturday 25 July, where they were remanded into custody. They are due to appear before the same court again on Friday 21 August.

The Havering Joint Task Force statement described the incident as highlighting “the outstanding work” of its officers, whose

“proactive policing and rapid response prevented those allegedly involved from escaping and brought the investigation to a swift conclusion”.

It added:

“The team’s professionalism, determination and commitment continue to make a real difference across Havering, regularly leading to the arrest of suspected offenders, the recovery of stolen property and the disruption of criminal activity.”

Who were charged and what offences do they face?

As set out in the Havering police update, the three suspects were each charged with multiple offences linked to the alleged sequence of events.

• Joshua Wiggins, 28 — charged with theft, theft of a motor vehicle, driving without insurance, dangerous driving and theft from a shop.
• Terry Hayday, 39 — charged with theft of a motor vehicle and theft.
• Aaron Keenan, 29 — charged with theft, theft of a motor vehicle and theft from a shop.

All three are recorded as being “of no fixed abode” in the charging information provided by police.

Where did the alleged robberies take place and how did the pursuit unfold?

According to the Havering Joint Task Force account, after the initial vehicle theft in Hornchurch High Street, officers traced the suspected stolen car to the Rush Green Road area of Dagenham.

While en route, police received a report of an alleged robbery at a premises on Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, where a cash till was reportedly stolen. Soon afterwards, a second alleged robbery was reported at a shop on Longbridge Road, Barking, where another cash till was said to have been taken.

Once officers located the vehicle matching the stolen description, they initiated an authorised police pursuit. During that pursuit, the vehicle collided with three other vehicles before coming to a stop. Officers then arrested three men at the scene.

When did the court appearances occur and what are the next steps?

The Havering police update states that all three men appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Saturday 25 July, where they were remanded into custody. Their next court date is listed as Friday 21 August before the same court.

What did Havering Joint Task Force say about the operation?

In its statement, the Havering Joint Task Force praised its officers’ response, saying:

“Once again, the incident has highlighted the outstanding work of the Havering Joint Task Force, whose proactive policing and rapid response prevented those allegedly involved from escaping and brought the investigation to a swift conclusion.”

The force added:

“The team’s professionalism, determination and commitment continue to make a real difference across Havering, regularly leading to the arrest of suspected offenders, the recovery of stolen property and the disruption of criminal activity.”

It concluded:

“Well done to officers for another excellent piece of policing and for the dedication they show every day in keeping Havering’s communities safe.”

Background: What context surrounds this type of development in Havering?

The Havering Joint Task Force operates as a dedicated policing unit focused on priority crime across the borough, including volume offences such as theft, robbery and vehicle crime.

Public statements from the task force in recent periods have frequently highlighted arrests linked to stolen vehicles, shop thefts and related robberies, often emphasising rapid response and multi-borough coordination as key elements of its approach.

The sequence described in this case — a stolen car used in connection with alleged cash-till robberies, followed by a police pursuit — fits a pattern that local policing teams have previously identified as part of wider efforts to disrupt mobile criminality across east London boroughs.

The reference to “no fixed abode” for all three defendants is also consistent with charging information in similar cases where suspects do not have a permanent address recorded at the time of charge.

Court processing through Snaresbrook Crown Court is standard for more serious charges arising in this area, with remand decisions typically made at early hearings before further case management dates are set.

Prediction: How could this development affect residents, businesses and local policing priorities?

For residents and small businesses in Hornchurch, Dagenham and Barking, public reporting of arrests and charges in multi-location theft and robbery cases can reinforce perceptions that police are actively pursuing mobile offenders who target high streets and local shops.

In the short term, this may increase confidence in reporting similar incidents and encourage tighter security measures around cash handling and vehicle immobilisation.

For local retailers, the alleged focus on cash tills suggests continued risk from opportunistic or organised thefts during opening hours.

Businesses may respond by reviewing till placement, staff training and liaison with neighbourhood policing teams, particularly on routes where vehicles can be used to approach and leave quickly.

For Havering Joint Task Force and neighbouring units, the operational narrative — rapid identification of a stolen vehicle, authorisation of a pursuit, and multi-borough arrest — is likely to be cited internally as a model for interrupting similar chains of alleged offending.

If the prosecution proceeds, the case could also inform future resource allocation towards vehicle-theft prevention and real-time intelligence sharing across borough boundaries.

For the wider community, the main effect will depend on case outcomes and whether further linked investigations emerge.

If convictions follow, the development may be used to deter similar offending patterns; if not, attention may shift to preventive measures such as town-centre patrols, business watch schemes and targeted enforcement on known vehicle-theft hotspots.