Police Superintendent Andy Huddleston, who heads up the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Construction & Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT), says funding by the CEA (Construction Equipment Association), the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), and other organisations is directly impacting the successful recovery of stolen plant equipment.
Late last year, the CPA made a three-year commitment to fund £90,000 to help fight plant equipment theft and fraud, costing the construction plant industry millions annually. With additional funding from the CEA, CESAR Security Scheme donors and insurers, a total of £650,000 is being contributed collectively to help fund NCATT—a specialist team of police officers that cover the whole of the country to help tackle the theft of construction plant and equipment by organised criminal groups.
Police Superintendent Andy Huddleston
Police Superintendent Andy Huddleston said: “Just one example of what we do was the excellent work to identify a lorry load of stolen plant and through police contacts stop it before it was loaded onto a ferry to be taken out of the country late one night. Eight stolen machines were found, including six that were taken from an auction site in Yorkshire. This comes directly from the funding given to us by the CEA, CPA, CESAR donors and insurers.
“The newly created NCATT is already making a huge difference in helping recover stolen plant which is becoming even more prevalent. In this calendar year up to April, we have successfully recovered stolen plant and equipment worth over £1.7m, and the total value of the unit’s recoveries in 2023 was over £6.1m. We are a small unit and whilst we can’t support every theft investigation, what we can do is making a tangible difference and I thank the industry for its crucial support in helping us do this,” he added.
The CESAR (Construction and Agriculture Equipment Security and Registration) Scheme is owned by the CEA and promoted by the AEA (Agricultural Engineers Association). Since its inception in 2007, CESAR has become the most successful program of its kind in Europe.
Operated by Datatag ID Ltd, the scheme features a unique database that records ownership details, greatly aiding in identifying and recovering stolen machinery. CESAR plays a vital role in combating plant theft. This initiative remains the only one of its kind to offer comprehensive support in recovering stolen equipment.
Viki Bell, Operations Director at CEA, commented, “Joining the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) has highlighted to me the critical role of our scheme in combating plant theft. The encouraging recovery outcomes we’re witnessing are a direct result of the combined efforts and financial contributions of the CEA, CESAR donors, and insurers. We are committed to continuing this support, strengthening our partnership, and strengthening our collective capacity to secure the industry’s assets. It’s inspiring to be part of such a vital initiative.”
Global events such as the conflict in Ukraine are driving up demand for stolen goods, with a 200% increase in the theft of construction plant and agricultural equipment in the UK. Prior to the war in Ukraine, between 40 and 70 high-value machines were typically stolen in one month. But in a single month last year, over 200 machines were stolen nationwide, and for the last 18 months, thefts have been over 110 machines every month.
CPA President Brian Jones said: “It’s excellent news that our funding is helping lead to the recovery of stolen plant, which is a massive problem costing our industry huge amounts of money, stress, and lost revenue. We have over 1,900 members at the CPA, and we feel it’s very important that the membership funds go back to helping them.
“Theft and fraud have a significant and increasingly damaging effect on our members’ businesses, and our £90,000 contribution to NCATT’s work will bring immediate, tangible benefits to our members in preventing and detecting criminal activity and recovering illegally obtained plant-hire equipment.”
