Tata Steel Employees Convicted of £1.2m Tin Theft Ring

Four individuals, including three Tata Steel employees and an outside accomplice, have been found guilty of orchestrating a theft scheme that netted approximately £1.2 million in stolen tin. The court heard that the group stole 50 tonnes of tin ingots from their employer before selling the metal to scrap merchants.

The operation, which took place between July 2023 and October 2024, centered on Matthew Membury, 32, who served as the primary conduit for the illicit goods. Membury accumulated £740,000 in deposits from various scrap dealers and subsequently distributed the funds among his co-conspirators, all of whom were employed at the Tata Steel facility in Trostre, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

Swansea Crown Court learned that Thomas Ashford, 35, Stewart Jones, 56, and Richard Jones, 29, held positions within site security and as forklift operators. The group exploited their access privileges to facilitate the theft. Stewart Jones, acting as security supervisor, issued a fraudulent identification card to Membury, allowing him to drive his transit van onto the worksite during quiet periods. Jones also communicated with Membury via messages to signal when the site was secure for entry.

Once inside, Ashford, who served as a cast house supervisor, used a forklift to load the ingots into Membury’s van. Membury then transported the stolen goods off-site. The financial distribution of the proceeds was significant: Membury retained nearly £340,000, Ashford kept over £250,000, Stewart Jones received more than £80,000, and Richard Jones obtained approximately £60,000.

All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal. Additionally, Membury admitted to three charges of possessing a bladed article. The conspiracy unraveled in October 2024 when the group was intercepted while attempting to exit the site with a portion of the tin. A subsequent search of Membury’s vehicle also uncovered three swords.

Sentencing was delivered with varying degrees of severity. Thomas Ashford of Tairgwaith, Brynamman, and Stewart Jones of Llanelli were each sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Richard Jones of Townhill, Swansea, received a 20-month suspended sentence, accompanied by 250 hours of unpaid work and an electronically monitored curfew.

Membury, from Landore, Swansea, failed to appear in court for his sentencing on Tuesday. Judge Paul Thomas KC indicated that Membury’s custodial term would be added to the 32-month sentence he is currently serving for arson, but only after he surrenders to the authorities.

Legal representatives for the defendants addressed the court regarding their clients' roles. Craig Jones, prosecuting on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, announced that efforts would be made to recover the proceeds of crime. Ryan Bowen, representing Membury, conceded that his client’s absence from the proceedings undermined any potential mitigation. David Singh, for Ashford, stated that his client had admitted the plot originated with him and was now accepting responsibility. Adam Roxborough, representing Richard Jones, argued that his client occupied the lowest rung of the criminal hierarchy. Matthew Murphy, for Stewart Jones, highlighted his client’s "genuine, wholehearted remorse," though he acknowledged that the financial gain was substantial.

In a victim impact statement, works manager James Davies described the thefts as highly damaging to the business, noting that security measures had been tightened to the point where staff are now required to park off-site and walk into the facility. The site, which employs more than 600 people, produces roughly 400,000 tonnes annually of tin, chrome, and coated steels for the packaging industry.

Judge Paul Thomas KC characterized the crimes as a "gross breach of trust." Following the hearing, Tata Steel issued a statement confirming they had collaborated closely with Dyfed-Powys Police and expressed satisfaction that the criminal proceedings had concluded.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 14:46:19 UTC