By Ed Chatterton,Nick Humphreys,walesonline.co.uk

Copyright walesonline

A gang who stole millions of pounds worth of agricultural equipment from farms during an “unprecedented” rural crime spree have been jailed for more than 25 years. The seven-strong group of thieves escaped with up to £10m worth of tractors, Land Rovers, and quad bikes during raids on businesses in Wales and Shropshire. 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”. Wayne Price, 32, masterminded the operation, which saw the gang steal expensive machinery using power tools in the middle of the night. 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. 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. West Mercia Police and Dyfed-Powys Police launched an investigation and were able to identify the suspects using CCTV, forensics, and phone analysis. Dramatic bodycam footage showed officers swooping on several addresses across Shropshire bashing down doors and apprehending the crooks in bed. All seven men were charged with conspiracy to steal which they all went on to plead guilty to. Dad-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. “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 £5m and £10m 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, Shropshire, who was “substantially” involved in the north Wales offences, was caged for four years and five months. Nutt, of Broseley, Shropshire, 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 from Telford, Shropshire, 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 jailed for 14 months. Downes, of Broseley, was involved as a driver in two thefts and was handed a seven-month jail term. Chief inspector Matthew Price, from Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “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 17 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.” Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.