Fifteen years ago I spent a year in Kaliningrad, Russia, and became interested in the movement of stolen cars from the EU (Western Europe in general).  I did a little field work that resulted in a publication:

Gerber, Jurg, and Martin Killias.  2003.   “The Transnationalization of Historically Local Crime:  Auto Theft in Western  Europe and Russian Markets.”  European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice 11(2):215-226.

There was little on this topic at that time.

Let me know if you want to pursue this work.

Jurg Gerber

Thanks for this comment. I just finished one draft and, if it is published, then I will write a second one about stolen cars under the point of view of a police officer.

I will cite you.