Man to appear in Essex court following £853k plant machinery theft and fraud charges

Steven Shelford, of the Broadway in Dunmow, is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He is charged with the theft of 52 items of plant machinery worth £853,938, with all the alleged offences having taken place between May 22, 2022 and March 14, 2023. Shelford has also been charged with concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property, namely plant machinery, by having VIN plates on machines altered to make the machines appear newer than they are, which is an offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Essex Police added he has also been charged with fraud by false representation by adapting VIN plates for machines to make the machine appear newer and to obtain more money when they were sold. A spokesperson for the force said: "Following an investigation by our Rural Engagement Team, a 43-year-old Dunmow man is due to appear in court on theft and fraud charges involving £853,000 of plant machinery. "Steven Shelford, of The Broadway, is charged with the theft of 52 items of plant machinery, valued at £853,938.



74, belonging to a finance company. "All the offences are alleged to have taken place in Brentwood between 22 May 2022 and 14 March 2023. "Shelford is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on April 23.

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