Men sentenced after Stevenage targeted in nationwide battery fraud

Ronnie Smith (Image: Archant)

Ryan Brazil, 24, Martin Goodwin ,27, Ronnie Smith, 26, and Carl Brazil, 18, targeted scrap metal dealers across the UK - including one in Stevenage in April 2012.

Carl Brazil (Image: Archant)

The men, all of Minsterworth in Gloustershire, were involved in a wide-ranging fraud, dating between September 2009 and July 2013, posing as contractors to steal waste industrial batteries.

Ryan Brazil (Image: Archant)

Once the batteries had been stolen, the four then travelled to a variety of scrap metal dealers selling the stolen merchandise – again posing as genuine contractors.

Detective Sergeant Anthony Jones, of British Transport Police’s National Metal Theft Team, said: “These batteries were then taken to scrap metal dealers who, acting in good faith, paid money to a group of men they thought were acting on behalf of bona fide contractors.

“In many cases the four also made sure they carried waste consignment notes and waste carrier licenses. As a result of the four-year offending spree, the four men defrauded a number of industries and companies of at least £100,000, though the true level of their offending is probably much higher – our investigation revealed the offenders managed to steal hundreds of batteries from a variety of sources including rail equipment, power companies, cars and forklift trucks.”

Goodwin was sentenced to 16 months in custody. Smith was given a 10-month custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, plus 200 hours community service. Ryan Brazil was given a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, plus 200 hours community service. Carl Brazil was sentenced to a 12-month community order and an 80-hour skills programme requirement.