TWO second-hand car dealers were last night being quizzed following their arrests as part of a fraud probe, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Richard Burbage, 41, and Stan Rudgley, 31, were both detained after police and trading standards officers raided four properties in Hampshire.

The arrests follow a lengthy investigation into a series of second hand car dealerships where one or both men have been linked.

It follows numerous complaints made by customers alleging they had been sold cars that were not roadworthy or claiming they had not been given refunds.

It was in January last year when the Daily Echo began reporting on the plight of angry customers who called our office claiming to have bought vehicles from companies linked to Rudgley and Burbage.

As previously reported, Mr Burbage allegedly owes millions of dollars to hundreds of people after the demise of his firm We Buy Any Car in Australia.

That company copied the name of the successful British online car seller but the two are not connected.

Trading standards bosses from Southampton City Council confirmed they were investigating last January.

By the end of Feburary they had received 60 complaints from customers of the car dealers.

All concerned purchases from Hampshire Vehicle Sales and Woolston Car Supermarket.

Daily Echo: Customers confront car dealership bosses.

Daily Echo:

Hampshire County Council’s trading standards officers then became involved in the probe following complaints from customers using online dealerships based in Botley.

A third man, who is believed to be 20-year-old Ryan Overton, has also been arrested in connection with the probe. He worked for the pair at Woolston Car Supermarket before it mysteriously shut down in January 2014 (see abandoned dealership below).

Daily Echo:

A statement from Hampshire County Council Trading Standards Service, who are leading the investigation said: “Officers from Hampshire County Council Trading Standards Service, assisted by colleagues from Hampshire Constabulary, executed warrants at four premises in Hampshire, as part of an investigation into alleged offences arising from the sale of second-hand motor vehicles.

“A 41-year-old male from Whiteley, a 31-year-old male from West End and a 20-year-old male from Curdridge have all been arrested on suspicion of offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, the Fraud Act 2006 and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

“They are currently being questioned by Trading Standards officers.”

Trading Standards said all consumers with concerns about any vehicle they have purchased are urged to report the matter to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 04 05 06 or via the website adviceguide.org.uk