MYSTERY surrounds the ownership of more than 100 vehicles used by senior management of the collapsed Facia Group.

The group, which owned such retail chains as Sock Shop, Red or Dead and Salisburys, ran an extensive fleet of luxury cars, including BMWs, Mercedes, and an Aston Martin. Receivers KPMG said it was unclear if the vehicles were owned by Facia, chairman Stephen Hinchcliffe, or finance companies. KPMG has appointed auctioneers Charterfields to track down vehicle owners and act as fleet agents. Hinchcliffe, a car enthusiast, owned a collection of classic vehicles.

Last week the Serious Fraud Office and South Yorkshire Police raided five premises, including Hinchcliffe's offices.The SFO is investigating the alleged transfer of at least £10 million from Facia. Creditors were told the collapse of the group followed concerns about sizeable transactions between Facia and companies owned by Hinchcliffe.