This is the dramatic moment police dismantled a gang of thieves who stole £10million of farming equipment during an ‘unprecedented’ rural crime spree.
Police wearing body armour and helmets smashed through doors to apprehend the crooks as they slept during a series of co-ordinated early-morning busts.
The seven-strong group of burglars had menaced communities in Shropshire and Wales for 18 months before being apprehended.
They were responsible for stealing up to £10million worth of tractors, Land Rovers and quad bikes during raids on businesses between August 2022 and February 2024.
Chilling CCTV captured the gang striking under the cover of darkness using vans and trailers to escape with farming equipment after trying to dismantle security cameras.
The vehicles stolen would either be broken down as parts or sold to other farmers who would ‘not ask questions’ about where they came from.
Now, following a major police operation, the group have all been caught – and have been sentenced to a total of 25 years in jail for the illegal crime racket.
A court heard more than 120 thefts or attempts were made between 2022 and 2024 in a spate of rural crime ‘on an unprecedented scale’.
Ringleader Wayne Price, 32, masterminded the operation, which saw the gang steal expensive machinery using power tools in the middle of the night.
A gang of crooks who carried out an 18-month crime wave, stealing some £10million of farming equipment have been jailed (pictured is a member of the group caught on CCTV during a raid trying to dismantle the camera)
Police arrested the men after a series of dramatic, co-ordinated raids. Pictured is an officer smashing in the door of one of the criminal’s homes
Officers are seen leading away one of the group after raiding a number of homes belonging to the gang
Co-conspirators Andrew Baker, 36, Thomas Nutt, 27, Ryan Taylor, 32, Neil Shevlin, 32, Christopher Downes, 35, and Dean Rogerson, 34, were also all involved.
West Mercia Police and Dyfed-Powys Police launched an investigation and were able to identify the suspects using CCTV, forensics and phone analysis.
Dramatic body-cam footage shows officers swooping on several addresses across Shropshire bashing down doors and apprehending the crooks in bed during the raids on March 20, 2024.
All seven men were charged with conspiracy to steal which they all went on to plead guilty to.
Father-of-two Baker also pleaded guilty to a count of handling stolen goods.
On Monday, Judge Anthony Lowe handed down combined jail terms of more than 25 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
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.
Pictured is the gang’s ringleader Wayne Price, 32, who appears to be undressed when police stormed his home and arrested him
Pictures show Price, top right, with five others from the group, Andrew Baker (top left), Thomas Nutt (top centre) Dean Rogerson (bottom left), Neil Shevlin (bottom centre) and Ryan Taylor (bottom right)
‘The sentences I impose need to reflect not only the involvement the defendants had but their involvement in the conspiracy in the broadest sense.’
The organised crime group would travel to the locations several days before to plan their operations before striking at night.
Police estimate they were responsible for thefts worth of between £5million and £10million of agricultural equipment.
One victim had £360,000 worth of property stolen, while there were several more who had more than £100,000 of items taken.
Price, of Shrewsbury, was involved in 48 thefts and attempts in North Wales and 74 in the Shrewsbury area and was jailed for nine years.
Baker, of Shifnal, Shrops., who was ‘substantially’ involved in the North Wales offences, was caged for four years and five months.
Nutt, of Broseley, Shrops., 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.
CCTV shows one of the gang wearing a mask and gloves while carrying out of the the raids
Thieves were caught on CCTV as they ransacked local businesses, stealing farming equipment like tractors, Land Rovers and quad bikes
Dramatic police body cam footage captured the moment ringleader Price (left) was ripped from his bed by police during a raid on his home
Police are seen apprehending another member of the gang, Ryan Taylor, during their raid
Rogerson, a father-of-four from Telford, Shrops., was involved in five thefts in North Wales and was jailed for three years and one month.
Taylor, of Telford, 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 was jailed for two years and seven months.
Shelvin, of Shifnal, was said to be involved in six thefts and was caged for 14 months.
Downes, of Broseley, was involved as a driver in two thefts and was handed a seven-month jail term.
Detective Sergeant Ben Docherty, from Shropshire’s Serious Acquisitive Crime Team, said: ‘We are pleased with the sentence given to these men today by the judge, as this type of crime has a huge impact on our rural communities.
‘We hope this sentence sends a strong message to anyone involved in this type of criminality that we take rural crime incredibly seriously and will investigate and do everything to ensure offenders are put before the courts.
‘Today’s sentences were only able to happen thanks to our local communities who continue to report these crimes to us, as well as working with us in helping to identify potential suspects.’
Chief Inspector Matthew Price, from Dyfed-Powys Police, added: ‘This was a great piece of joint investigative work carried out by two forces into an organised crime group who thought they could target rural areas to commit numerous offences.
‘While a number of teams were involved in the investigation, I would like to highlight the work of our Crime Scene Investigation team whose work was instrumental in identifying the gang’s ring-leader, and the seventeen Dyfed-Powys officers who travelled across the border to support West Mercia in arresting the offenders.
‘This investigation highlights the importance of neighbouring police forces working together to tackle cross-border crime, and that collaboration and partnerships result in the best outcomes for our communities.’
