Four jailed for stealing 33 Land Rover Defenders worth £600,000

Four men have been sentenced to a combined total of 15 years and nine months in prison for a large-scale vehicle theft operation across England and Wales. Between September 2024 and May 2025, the gang stole 34 vehicles, including 33 Land Rover Defenders, with a total value exceeding £600,000 (approximately €690,000).

The thefts spanned multiple police jurisdictions, including West Mercia, Gloucestershire, Dyfed-Powys, Sussex, Avon & Somerset, and Devon & Cornwall. The investigation, known as Operation Liondale, was led by West Mercia Police following the arrest of one gang member in November 2025.

At Hereford Crown Court, the defendants received the following sentences: Leonard Hodgkins (50) was sentenced to four years and nine months; Benjamin Hobbs (35) received four years and four months; Jimmy Butler (41) was given three years and eight months; and David Hodgkins (40) received three years.