10 arrested for stealing £700,000 worth of construction machinery from hirers

Cheshire Police made a series of dawn raids across Lancashire yesterday (5 March), executing eight warrants at premises across Padiham and Burnley.

Six men and four women were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft and fraud.

Detective sergeant Graeme Carvell, of Ellesmere Port CID, who led the operation, said, “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.”

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

The investigation was in partnership with the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT) and Lancashire Rural Crime officers.

All 10 suspects remain in custody at this time where they are being questioned by officers.