A man who participated in a large-scale and sophisticated theft from steel giant Tata, netting hundreds of thousands of pounds in profits, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Matthew Membury made repeated visits to the Tata Steel plant in Trostre near Llanelli in his van, stealing nearly 49 tonnes of valuable tin ingots in an operation facilitated by three insider employees.
The Conspiracy
Membury, the driver, was also responsible for selling the stolen metal to dealers across Wales and England and dividing the proceeds among the conspirators. Three Tata employees—Thomas Ashford, Stewart Jones, and Richard Jones—have already been sentenced for their roles. Membury failed to attend court for his hearing; he is currently serving a prison sentence for arson imposed in January for a revenge firebombing of a car.
Swansea Crown Court previously heard the scheme was devised by Ashford, a supervisor in the casting house at Trostre with access to the valuable tin ingots. The operation's success relied on site security supervisor Stewart Jones, who controlled entry to the works. The men coordinated thefts via WhatsApp and face-to-face chats, taking ingots shortly after delivery and during shift changes when activity was high.
Initially, Jones simply opened the gates for Membury. Later, he created a cloned Tata pass in the name of David Davies, allowing Membury to enter as a legitimate employee. Once inside, Membury drove to the casting house, where Ashford provided access to the warehouse and loaded ingots using a forklift. Ashford also recruited Richard Jones, a former soldier, to assist with loading.
The Theft and Discovery
Over 15 months, nearly 49 tonnes of tin ingots worth over £1.2 million were stolen. None of the metal has been recovered. The gang was caught after suspicions arose about missing ingots. Dyfed-Powys Police monitored deliveries and card activations. The conspiracy ended on October 11, 2024, when police arrested Membury as he drove out of the plant with stolen ingots. Three swords were also found in his van. The other conspirators were then arrested.
A financial investigation revealed 68 deposits totalling almost £744,000 into Membury's bank account from metal and recycling companies between July 2023 and September 2024. The money was split: Membury received £339,770; Ashford £256,563; Stewart Jones £85,507; and Richard Jones £61,978.
Sentencing
Thomas Ashford, 35, Stewart Jones, 56, Matthew Membury, 32, and Richard Jones, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal. Membury also pleaded guilty to possession of bladed articles. With one-third discounts, Ashford and Stewart Jones each received three years and four months in prison. Richard Jones was sentenced to 20 months suspended for two years, with 250 hours of unpaid work and a curfew.
Membury did not attend the June 2 sentencing. Judge Paul Thomas KC refused to pass sentence until he appeared in person. Membury attended on June 12. His lawyer said he had requested a videolink from prison, which was denied. The judge described Membury as the leading actor in the operation, responsible for driving, selling, and distributing money. Due to his failure to attend earlier, he received only a 20% reduction for his plea.
Membury was sentenced to 52 months for conspiracy and four months for weapon offences, totalling 56 months. A proceeds of crime investigation will follow.
