UPDATE | Ten people arrested in relation to the theft of almost £700,000 of plant equipment across the UK

Officers from Cheshire Police have arrested ten people in connection to the theft of high value plant equipment following a series of dawn raids in Lancashire.

Earlier today, Wednesday 5 March, officers from Ellesmere Port CID, with the support of officers from The National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT) and Lancashire Rural Crime Team, executed eight warrants at premises across Padiham and Burnley, leading to the arrest of ten people.

The six men and four women were all arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft and fraud.

Below are the details of the warrants and arrests –

• Kay Street, Padiham – 44-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman arrested
• Caravan on Kay Street – no arrests made
• Milton Street, Padiham - 44-year-old man arrested
• Ribble Street, Padiham - 43-year-old man arrested
• Crosshills, Padiham – 69-year-old man arrested
• Crosshills, Padiham – 62-year-old man arrested
• Accrington Road – 57-year-old man arrested
• Devon Grove, Burnley– 29-year-old woman arrested

Another two 29-year-old women were also arrested at an address in Padiham.

The warrants follow a detailed investigation by Ellesmere Port CID, in partnership with the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT) and Lancashire Rural Crime officers, into the theft of plant machinery from hire companies across the UK.

They include incidents in Cheshire, Cumbria, Humberside, West Midlands, Lancashire, Hertfordshire, Avon and Somerset, Staffordshire, Merseyside, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire, West Mercia and Lincolnshire.

Following the warrants Detective Sergeant Graeme Carvell, of Ellesmere Port CID, who led the operation, said:

“Today’s warrants are the culmination of a detailed investigation into the theft of around £700,000 worth of plant equipment from suppliers across the UK.

“Through our investigation we believe that those involved have been using false identifications in order to hire out plant equipment with no intent of ever returning the machines.

“I would like to thank all of the officers involved in this morning’s operation for their support and I hope that the arrests provide reassurance to the business community, demonstrating that we take reports of this nature seriously.”

All ten suspects remain in custody at this time where they are being questioned by officers.