FIRST PICTURES: The men part of a Sheffield chop shop gang linked to various vehicle thefts

These are the faces of a Sheffield chop shop gang who stole Land Rover and vehicle parts across South Yorkshire and north Derbyshire.
The jailed gang members: Simon Evans (centre), of Handsworth, Bradley Ellis (top left), of Swallownest, Darren Keeton (middle left), of Manor, Aaron Wood, Peter Houghton (bottom left) Arbourthorne, (top right), of Arbourthorne, Gavin Critchley (middle right), of Waterthorpe, and Andrew Roberts (bottom right) of MiddlewoodThe jailed gang members: Simon Evans (centre), of Handsworth, Bradley Ellis (top left), of Swallownest, Darren Keeton (middle left), of Manor, Aaron Wood, Peter Houghton (bottom left) Arbourthorne, (top right), of Arbourthorne, Gavin Critchley (middle right), of Waterthorpe, and Andrew Roberts (bottom right) of Middlewood
The jailed gang members: Simon Evans (centre), of Handsworth, Bradley Ellis (top left), of Swallownest, Darren Keeton (middle left), of Manor, Aaron Wood, Peter Houghton (bottom left) Arbourthorne, (top right), of Arbourthorne, Gavin Critchley (middle right), of Waterthorpe, and Andrew Roberts (bottom right) of Middlewood

Derby Crown Court heard how ten of the men pleaded guilty to a variety of offences relating to their involvement in an operation which was based at a unit on Deepdale Close, at Staveley. One defendant was convicted after a trial.

The gang had been involved in a series of thefts of Land Rovers, Transit vans and vehicle parts from March, 2014, but was brought to justice after a search warrant was executed at the Staveley unit in September, 2014.

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Offences had included many thefts of Land Rovers, Ford Transit vans, Land Rover headlights and parts from locations across the region includingSheffield, Dronfield Woodhouse, Staveley, Chesterfield, Rotherham, Lincoln, Worksop and Newark.

Simon EvansSimon Evans
Simon Evans

*Simon Evans, aged 31, of Richmond Road, Handsworth,was jailed for four years and eight months.

*Gavin Critchley, 32, of Thorpe Drive, Waterthorpe, was jailed for four years and six months.

*Bradley Ellis, 27, of Haigh Moor Way, Swallownest, was jailed for three years and 10 months.

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*Aaron Wood, 27, of Berners Road, Arbourthorne, was jailed for two years and nine months.

Gavin CritchleyGavin Critchley
Gavin Critchley

*Peter Houghton, 32, of Fellbrigg Road, Arbourthorne was jailed for two years.

*Darren Keeton, 29, of Danewood Gardens, Manor and Andrew Roberts, 41, of Winn Drive, Middlwood, were both jailed for 15 months.

*Gareth Houlden, 37, of Danewood Gardens, Manor, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.

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*Nathan Williams, 34, of Forest Town, Mansfield, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Bradley EllisBradley Ellis
Bradley Ellis

*Ben Stubbs, of Euston Way, Dinnington, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for one year.

*Karl Ray, 29, of Thornborough Road, Heeley, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year.

Evans accepted having a leading role and admitted responsibility in the theft of ten vehicles and the theft of parts from a Transit van.

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Ellis admitted being linked to the dismantling of vehicles but did not accept involvement in any thefts.

Peter HoughtonPeter Houghton
Peter Houghton

Critchley admitted involvement in 11 specific offences but he has no previous convictions.

Roberts was involved for only a couple of days assisting in two thefts. Keeton conceded he was involved in three vehicle thefts and two thefts from vehicles but claimed to have only been involved for a month.

Houghton was linked to five vehicle offences but he was described as a 'foot soldier'.

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Wood claimed had only acted in a driving capacity. Houlden was only linked to the theft of a Land Rover, theft from a Land Rover and interfering with a vehicle.

Williams’ involvement had only been to provide information about the remote location of a vehicle to be stolen and that the owner of the vehicle was on holiday. Ray said he was involved in only one theft.

The extent of Stubbs’ involvement was that he had eBayy and Pay Payl accounts which he had allowed Critchley to use as part of the gang’s operation.