Police have retrieved nearly half a million pounds worth of suspected stolen agricultural machinery following a successful cross-border operation.
Dorset and Hampshire police forces executed warrants at two rural locations in East Dorset as part of Operation Hardware.
The operation was created following a suspicious incident in Hampshire, in which a vehicle was reported as driving at speed along the A338.
As Hampshire Police officers followed, it made an abrupt turn, mounting a grass area and then disappearing.
Investigations showed that the it had been stolen from London, the number plates being used on it had been cloned from a vehicle out of county and therefore the insured driver was not the legal owner of the vehicle.
This gave reasonable grounds to execute search warrants at the home address of the insured driver.
A wide area search was conducted at two rural locations in East Dorset and several vehicles reported as stolen were located and seized, as well as a large quantity of plant and agricultural machinery.
A device, believed to be a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) making machine, was seized. Overall, nearly £500,000 of suspected stolen machinery was recovered.
A 21-year-old man from East Dorset was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, theft and handling stolen goods and a 47-year-old male, also from East Dorset, was arrested on suspicion of theft and handling stolen goods.
An 82-year-old man, from East Dorset, was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. They have all been released under investigation as enquiries continue.
Police Constable Adrian Woodhead from Hampshire Constabulary said: "This cross-border operation highlights the importance, and value, of working closely together with our neighbouring Forces.
“The joint operation has helped to not only recover valuable plant and farm machinery – which we’ll be working to locate their rightful owners – but has also helped to disrupt what we believe to be organised criminal activity.”
