Kent Police is working with members of the construction, farming, insurance, security and transport industries, as well as the public, to reduce the theft of heavy machinery.

The joint effort is part of a major offensive to stop specialist gangs stealing the valuable equipment from building sites, farms and lay-bys.

Extra vigilance advised

Heavy machinery includes excavators, forklift trucks, grass cutters, tractors, generators, cement mixers and road breakers. A single piece of equipment can cost as much as £300,000. Gangs target what they see as a lucrative source of cash or else use the stolen machinery to break into cash machines.

Officers periodically give crime prevention advice to local authorities and relevant industries, for example encouraging them to security mark their machinery. However, police want people to be extra vigilant and report anything suspicious, like mechanical diggers being moved late at night or during the early hours.

Report anything suspicious

Detective Inspector Eddie Fox from Kent Police’s Organised Crime Unit said: ‘If you see a JCB on the move in the middle of the night, the chances are it’s been stolen and about to be used to commit a crime.

‘There’s rarely a legitimate reason for heavy machinery to be used outside working hours so I’m appealing to people to report anything that seems unusual or odd. It costs no more than the price of a phone call and it’s better to be wrong than risk an offence being committed.

Disabling machinery

Detective Inspector Fox continued: ‘Most heavy equipment is easy to steal, but it’s also easy to disable at the end of the working day so I urge owners to take this precaution.

‘I see the effects of crime on individuals and the community every day. It traumatises people and costs time, money and effort to investigate. People who steal heavy machinery and use it to break into cash machines leave damage and chaos in their wake. Very often there are a few basic things that people can do to reduce or prevent this from happening.’

Thefts have wide impact

As well as loss and disruption to the industry, the theft of heavy machinery can have a significant impact on the lives of the wider community.

For instance, roadworks last longer when machinery is stolen causing traffic delays and diversions. This affects people taking their children to school, shoppers, commuters and people generally going about their daily lives.

People find it harder to get builders and other tradesmen to do work for them because insurance companies demand high premiums or won’t insure businesses because of the increasing number of claims they make. If businesses can’t get insurance people can lose their jobs.

Cash machine theft

In relation to cash machine theft, Kent Police will continue to do everything possible to bring offenders to justice. Following one of its most successful investigations into this sort of crime, five men were sentenced to more than 20 years' imprisonment for their role in the theft of 25 cash machines, or attempted thefts of cash machines, and ten vehicle thefts.

Crime prevention and enforcement

Kent Police officers are continuing a series of concerted crime prevention and enforcement activity to disrupt the gangs that steal heavy machinery including:

• Visiting building sites and farms to offer crime prevention advice. For instance, the obvious removal of stickers can indicate attempts to conceal identity and origin of stolen machinery
• Providing crime prevention messages about machinery security via the Kent Community Messaging system
• Advising owners to make machinery distinctive with paint and lots of livery stickers to make it less appealing to thieves
• Using security devices such as datatag, a transponder fitted to the vehicle with a unique reference number relating to that item of machinery. Alternatively, satellite tracker technology can be used to find the stolen machine
• Using an ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) approved marking scheme called CESAR (Construction Equipment Security and Registration). Details are available on the Construction Equipment Association website
• Late night cargo checks of all large vehicles along targeted sections of road and at strategic locations
• Additional police checks at the Channel Tunnel

Working together to prevent crime

Detective Inspector Fox said: ‘The messages are simple. We want the industries concerned and the public to work with us to prevent crime and we will provide the expertise and resources where necessary.

‘In addition, if you belong to a gang that steals heavy machinery we are watching you and will do everything possible to bring you before the courts.

‘At the very least we can disrupt criminal activity and at best we can bring people to justice.’

More security advice

If you are the owner, contractor or hirer of heavy machinery, you can obtain advice about security measures by contacting Chief Inspector Lee Russell on 01622 653231 or their local police station and ask to speak to their Crime Reduction Officer.

Posted on: 10 November 2009