By Nick Humphreys

Copyright expressandstar

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 (of Wolverhampton) 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.