Nearly £6 million worth of tractors, Land Rovers and more stolen in spate of rural crime 'on unprecedented scale' in Shropshire and North Wales
A court heard how nearly £6 million worth of equipment including tractors, Land Rovers and quad bikes were stolen in a spate of rural crime “on an unprecedented scale”.
More than 120 thefts or attempts were made across Shropshire and North Wales between 2022 and 2024, and the seven men involved will learn their fates very shortly.
Wayne Price, Andrew Baker, Thomas Nutt, Ryan Taylor, Neil Shevlin, Christopher Downes and Dean Rogerson were in the dock at Shrewsbury Crown Court for their roles in the crimes.
The Shropshire Star joined West Mercia Police on a raid on the day the criminal enterprise was brought abruptly to an end.
Officers swooped on addresses in Broseley, Telford and Shrewsbury in March last year, bashing down doors and apprehending suspects.
Now, almost 18 months on, the sentencing exercise has finally begun.
Price was the ringleader, playing a part in 122 property thefts or attempts, with other members of the gang involved to varying degrees.
The court was first told about a series of thefts carried out by an organised crime group in North Wales, which prompted a police investigation dubbed Operation Calafat.
“The crime group was led by Wayne Price,” said Dean Easthope, prosecuting. “He was assisted by trusted associates.
“The modus operandi was to target rural locations where high-value plant machinery was kept.”
They would travel up several days before to plan their operation, before stealing expensive machinery, quad bikes and power tools in the middle of the night under the cover of darkness.
One of the places they stayed at on a reconaissance trip was the Dolgamedd Holiday Park near Dolgellau, Mid Wales.
Officers on the Operation Calafat investigation found that property in the region of £200,000 was stolen in Wales, with one farmer losing £60,000 of equipment and another losing £35,000 of property. A golf club had £17,000 worth of items stolen.
Mr Easthope said the vehicles would either be broken down and sold as parts or sold to other farmers who would “not ask questions”.
Another spike in rural thefts, this time in Shropshire, prompted a police investigation named Operation Broadsheet. Police found there were 34 high-value thefts in the area across two months from October to November 2022.
Members of the crime group stole tractors, a Land Rover and other expensive 4x4 vehicles totalling around £500,000. One victim lost £42,000 worth of property.
Similarly to Operation Calafat, once the property had been seized it would be sold on.
Rural crime 'on an unprecedented scale'
More Shropshire property thefts were carried out “on an unprecedented scale”, according to police between July 2023 and February 2024.
Officers in Shrewsbury recognised a similar pattern to the previous offending in Shropshire and launched their investigation, Operation Gander.
Price, Nutt and Baker were on bail for previous offences at the time when tractors, farm buggies and 4x4 pick-ups were stolen.
The total estimated value of items stolen in Operation Gander was up to £5 million, although police only took statements from victims of goods worth £1.55 million.
One victim had £360,000 worth of property stolen, while there were several more who had more than £100,000 of items taken.
Most items were recovered from the 91 offences across Operation Gander.
“Victims suffered from loss of earnings,” said Mr Easthope, pointing out that farmers did not have the equipment they needed to do their jobs.
“There was a shortage of replacement equipment with local retailers. They have been reliant on other farmers to borrow equipment.
“There has been a sharp rise in the cost of their business insurance.”
Previous convictions and mitigation
Price, aged 32 and of Lower Cross, Cross Houses, Shrewsbury; Nutt, aged 27 and, of Bridgnorth Road, Broseley, and Baker all pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to steal. Father-of-two Baker, aged 36 and of Lovell Close, Shifnal, also pleaded guilty to a count of handling stolen goods.
Price has 17 previous convictions for 25 offences including battery, handling stolen goods and affray. Nutt has one previous conviction for one offence and Baker has 25 for 47 offences, including for robbery, drugs and violence.
Shelvin, aged 31 and of Bridgnorth Road, Shifnal; Downes, aged 35 and of Harper Avenue, Wolverhampton; Taylor, aged 32 and of Hayward Parade, Telford, and Rogerson, aged 33 and of Wilkinson Avenue, Telford, all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal.
Shelvin has seven previous convictions for 11 offences including supplying class A drugs, burglary and violence.
Downes has previous convictions for battery and drug driving. Rogerson has three previous convictions for eight offences including for criminal damage and theft.
Taylor has nine previous convictions for 13 offences including for battery, drugs and being drunk and disorderly.
Taylor is also due to be sentenced after admitting to two thefts, one of £3,500 of fragrances from Boots in Newport on March 11, 2023 and another of a kayak, two bikes and sunglasses from Decathlon at The Forge Retail Park in Telford on June 18, 2024.
Father-of-four Rogerson is also to be sentenced after admitting three counts of theft of a motor vehicle. He stole two motorhomes and a van in November last year. The vehicles, which were recovered, were worth around £155,000 altogether.
Paul Smith, for Price, said Price is a member of the travelling community.
Robert Edwards, for Baker, said he had lost a relationship due to the offences he committed and that he had been earning legitimate money by working in construction for a “considerable time” since the offences.
Rachel Hughes, for Nutt, said: “He is remorseful for his actions.”
Debra White, for Shevlin, said he had “taken steps to live a law-abiding life” since these offences.
Also representing father-of-two Downes, Ms White said: “He is remorseful. He is very lightly convicted.”
Danny Smith, for Rogerson, said he ran his own roofing business and got into the conspiracy as he was struggling to keep it afloat.
“He needed extra funds to keep it going,” Mr Smith said.
He added that Rogerson lost lucrative roofing work in Wales after his crimes were reported in the press.
Kevin Jones, for Taylor, said the father-of-one used to be in the army and had “gainful employment” for seven years before developing a substance misuse problem with monkey dust.
Judge Anthony Lowe adjourned the sentence to Monday, September 15 back at Shrewsbury Crown Court. All seven were granted bail in the meantime.