STOLEN vehicles and agricultural machinery valued at £854,000 have been recovered by Essex Police's rural engagement officers in just one week across Thurrock.

The rural engagement Team specialises in crimes which impact rural communities, businesses, farms and estates, including the theft of agricultural vehicles and machinery.

Its officers uncovered a suspected stolen vehicle 'chop shop' at a site near South Ockendon, recovering £594,000 of vehicles, car parts and vehicle 'bodyshells', including a Bentley Continental.

Sergeant Callum Barber says officers will return vehicles and equipment to their rightful owners wherever possible.

He also stresses the importance of fitting trackers to high-value machinery and reporting anything that seems unusual or 'out of place'.

"Information from vehicle trackers has been crucial in helping us recover stolen cars and agricultural plant. We would not have found the South Ockendon site without it.

"We also rely on community intelligence – reports of things that seem out of place, such as vehicles parked somewhere unusual for several days.

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"Theft costs victims so much more than the value of the machinery itself. There's the inconvenience and potential loss of business, replacement costs, increased insurance premiums and a sense of vulnerability.

"Together, vehicle trackers and information from the public help us to recover valuable equipment and reunite it with its owners.

"We are investigating the circumstances behind all these thefts. We welcome information from anyone who may know something about them. You can report information via our website at www.essex.police.uk/ro or by ringing 101."

The team's results in one week:

Tuesday 17 February:

A £50,000 telehandler was recovered from a hedge in Turnpike Lane, Grays, and returned to the hire company after a member of the public reported it:  

Friday 20 February:

Information from the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT) led officers to Chadwell St Mary where they recovered £70,000 of equipment, including a horsebox, an engineering bowser and washer, a trailer and a caravan.

While on site, officers spotted a £40,000 telehandler hidden in nearby Sandy Lane, stolen the previous night from a construction site.

Monday 23 February:

Officers were back in Grays to recover a £65,000 Porsche Macan from Hogg Lane, thanks to information from a vehicle tracking company.

The same day, another vehicle tracker led officers to the stolen vehicle 'chop shop' in the South Ockendon area. There they recovered £592,000 of vehicles, car parts and vehicle 'body shells' – including a Bentley Continental – plus 600 gas bottles.

It is believed the vehicles were being dismantled to be sold on in parts, often abroad. 

These illegal 'chop shops' strip stolen vehicles for parts, which are then sold individually, making it harder to trace the original theft. 

Tuesday 24 February:

Another call from the public regarding a suspicious vehicle saw a £35,000 Kia Niro recovered from Botany Way, Purfleet, while another stolen trailer was located by the team in Sandy Lane, Grays.

What is CESAR?

The Construction and Agricultural Equipment Security and Registration (CESAR) Scheme is a national system which helps police identify and recover stolen machinery.

Equipment registered with CESAR is fitted with secure identification markings and recorded on a central database that police can access.

How it helps:

Makes machinery far less attractive to thieves

Helps police quickly identify stolen equipment

Improves the chances of recovering property and returning it to the rightful owner

Machinery fitted with CESAR has been proven to be significantly less likely to be stolen and much easier to trace if it is.