Members of gang who stole millions of pounds worth of tractors, cars and equipment across Shropshire and Wales jailed
A rural crime gang who were involved in conspiracies where nearly £6 million of tractors, Land Rovers, quad bikes and more were stolen have been handed jail terms of more than 25 years combined.
More than 120 thefts or attempts were made across Shropshire and North Wales between 2022 and 2024 in a spate of crime “on an unprecedented scale”, a court heard.
Wayne Price was the ringleader and his co-conspirators - Andrew Baker, Thomas Nutt, Ryan Taylor, Neil Shevlin, Christopher Downes and Dean Rogerson - were all involved to varying degrees.
The Shropshire Star joined West Mercia Police on a raid on the day the criminal enterprise was brought to an abrupt end.
Officers swooped on addresses in Broseley, Telford and Shrewsbury in March last year, bashing down doors and apprehending suspects.
Judge Anthony Lowe handed down the sentences at Shrewsbury Crown Court today (Monday, September 15), having heard from the prosecution and barristers mitigating for the seven men earlier this month.
He told them: “All of you are part of a conspiracy. This was a wide-ranging conspiracy involving many thefts across two indictments involving seven defendants in front of me, but also many others.
“The sentences I impose need to reflect not only the involvement the defendants had but their involvement in the conspiracy in the broadest sense.”
There were three major police investigations into rural crime in Shropshire and North Wales: Operation Calafat, Operation Broadsheet and Operation Gander.
The organised crime group would travel to the locations several days before to plan their operations, before stealing expensive machinery, quad bikes and power tools in the middle of the night under the cover of darkness.
The vehicles stolen would either be broken down as parts or sold to farmers who would “not ask questions” about where they came from.
Operation Calafat involved North Wales thefts and attempted thefts from farms, with “well in excess” of £300,000 of property stolen.
One farmer lost £60,000 of equipment and another lost £35,000 of property. A golf club had £17,000 worth of items stolen.
Operation Broadsheet, which involved crimes at Shropshire farms, resulted in around £500,000 of farm machinery and expensive equipment being stolen.
Members of the crime group stole tractors, a Land Rover and other expensive 4x4 vehicles. One victim lost £42,000 worth of property.
Operation Gander was the investigation into farms in the Shrewsbury area being targeted.
Statements were taken from 27 of 91 Operation Gander victims, whose stolen property totalled a “staggering” £1.55 million.
However, police believe the total value of goods stolen in the Shrewsbury conspiracy could be as much as £5 million.
One victim had £360,000 worth of property stolen, while there were several more who had more than £100,000 of items taken.
Police described the spree as rural crime "on an unprecedented scale".
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.
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.
The court was told how Price was involved in 48 thefts and attempts in North Wales and 74 in the Shrewsbury area.
“The Shrewsbury conspiracy is seriously aggravated by the fact you were on bail at the time,” Judge Lowe told Price.
He jailed Price for nine years.
Baker was “substantially” involved in the North Wales offences, taking part in 28 thefts or attempts, plus three in Shrewsbury.
“While you might not have had the same lead role as Wayne Price, you must have been his main fellow conspirator,” Judge Lowe told Baker, jailing him for four years and five months.
Nutt was said to be involved in eight offences in North Wales and 14 in Shrewsbury. He was also jailed for four years and five months.
Rogerson, a father-of-four, was involved in five thefts in North Wales, and also came to be sentenced for stealing two motorhomes and a van worth a combined value of £125,000.
He was jailed for three years and one month.
Taylor drove the farm machinery which had been stolen to order, a role which Judge Lowe described as “an integral and important part” of the conspiracy.
He also fell to be sentenced for thefts from Boots in Newport and Decathlon in Telford, stealing £13,000 of perfume from the former.
Judge Lowe jailed him for two years and seven months.
Shelvin was said to be involved in six thefts in North Wales worth around £56,000.
Judge Lowe handed him a jail sentence of 14 months, although the days he has spent on qualifying curfew mean he will be eligible for immediate release.
Downes was involved as a driver in two thefts worth a combined £22,000. The judge handed him a seven-month jail term but, like Shelvin, his days on curfew mean he will not be spending time behind bars.
Price, Baker, Nutt and Rogerson will be subject of a proceeds of crime case to see if any of their ill-gotten gains can be recouped.