Local Men Sentenced for Plant Machinery and Vehicle Thefts

Published on: 29 Jan, 2026
Updated on: 29 Jan, 2026

Guildford Crown Court

Four men, including two from Guildford and one from Bramley, have been sentenced following convictions in connection with large-scale thefts of plant machinery and vehicles worth more than £347,000.

The Surrey Police Serious and Organised Crime Unit led an investigation into an Organised Crime Group (OCG) members of which were given jail terms ranging from three years to 12 months.

James Sayers and Freddie Stevens

On Tuesday (January 27) at Guildford Crown Court the four men received the following sentences:

James Sayers, 36, of Bramley, has been sentenced to three years for conspiracy to steal
Freddie Stevens, 22, of Bordon, has been sentenced to three years for conspiracy to steal, burglary and theft of two of motor vehicles
James Smith, 38, of Guildford, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, for conspiracy to steal
Ben Price, 45, of Guildford, has been sentenced to 12 months for handling stolen goods. Price was released at court due to time served on remand.

The machines and vehicles were generally stolen during the hours of darkness from building sites, car parks and the driveways of residential properties.

The criminal group operated using six “mission vehicles”, most of which were stolen and used cloned number plates that they switched regularly.

Their thefts predominantly targeted high value 4x4s such as Land Rovers and Range Rovers, as well as vans to transport small plant machinery.

Once stolen, both vehicles and machinery were parked and left for several days before being moved on to their end destination.

While on bail, Stevens took part in further criminality. He assisted with the theft of two Range Rovers, which were subsequently used in a burglary of Clayden & Co Jewellers in Bognor Regis.

One of these was driven into the metal gate at the shopfront, enabling Stevens to enter the building and empty the display cabinets of jewellery before fleeing the scene. Both vehicles were later set on fire, one in Hampshire and the other in West Sussex.

The owner of Clayden & Co Jewellers confirmed that almost his entire stock, valued at approximately £30,000, had been stolen, with a further £20,000 worth of damage caused to the premises.

A forensic examination of the scene identified blood splatters on the shattered glass and around the damaged display cabinets. DNA analysis of the blood produced a positive match to Freddie Stevens. He was subsequently arrested when he attended the police station as part of his bail conditions.

Detective Constable Alex Boxall who lead the investigation said: “This is not a victimless crime. These thieves deliberately target small businesses, leaving owners unable to work and facing crippling costs.

“Many contractors rely on a single machine to earn their living, and the loss can force them into debt or even liquidation.

“Criminals view this as a low‑risk, high‑reward offence because they believe owners are soft targets.

“Today’s outcome sends a clear message that this type of offending will not be treated with leniency.”

Cllr Jane Austin

A borough councillor for Bramley & Wonersh, Jane Austin, said on hearing news of the convictions: “It is encouraging to learn of these arrests and sentences concerning what constitutes organised crime in our area. Theft of machinery, plant and vehicles, in particular from rural areas, remains a persistent issue locally.

“Crimes like this can devastate small businesses and farmers who often rely on a single vehicle or machine to keep their businesses running. I cannot overstate how important it is to report anything suspicious through Surrey Police’s online suspicious activity portal – it works! I have seen time and again how arrests have been made directly because of information submitted by my community.”

A police spokesperson said: “If your machinery is stolen, call the police as soon as possible with as many details as you can. Call 999 if it’s happening now. Report it online if it has already happened.”

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