POLICE are today warning farmers and owners of expensive heavy plant machinery and goods vehicles in mid Suffolk to take security precautions following a spate of thefts.
POLICE are today warning farmers and owners of expensive heavy plant machinery and goods vehicles in mid Suffolk to take security precautions following a spate of thefts.
There has been a sharp increase in the amount of heavy plant equipment, such as diggers, being stolen across the district in the past couple of weeks, including four thefts in the space of five days.
Investigating officer DI Jenny Benham said she is keen to raise awareness of the issue among owners of equipment to ensure they are taking all necessary steps to secure their vehicles.
She is also appealing for information from anyone who may be suspicious of the recent unexplained appearance of plant machinery in the area.
She said: “We want to highlight to people with that type of property that they need to keep it secure overnight and not leave it where it is accessible to be taken.”
She added that the theft of plant machinery can prove lucrative for criminals as some tractors and diggers can be worth tens of thousands of pounds.
In other parts of the country stolen plant machinery has been taken abroad by criminals in an attempt to sell the vehicles on.
The first of the recent spate of thefts happened on Wednesday, November 15, when a red and black Leyland DAF lorry, registration P88 BTS, was stolen from premises in Maitland Road, Needham Market, at 11.50pm.
A tipping trailer was then stolen from a property in Haughley between 3pm on Thursday, November 16, and 8.35am the following day. The two-and-a-half tonne Ifor Williams tipping trailer was taken from a property in Duke Street.
Between 5.45pm and 7.20pm on Friday, November 17, a white Rigid Iveco recovery truck, registration number 3963 EV, was stolen from Needham Road, Stowmarket.
Then, at around 7.15pm on Monday, November 20, a yellow and black Fastrac JCB, registration number P51 CUJ, was stolen from premises in Redlingfield Road, Horham.
Anyone with information on any of the thefts is asked to contact police on 01473 613500.
Weblink:
www.suffolk.police.uk
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