Stolen caravans and farm trailer seized by police near Desborough

Three stolen caravans and “fraudulently-hired” heavy plant equipment worth a total of £150,000 have been seized by police at a travellers’ site near Market Harborough.

Northamptonshire Police’s rural unit teamed up with their Leicestershire Police counterparts to carry out the specially-coordinated cross-border swoop on Friday (January 7).

Officers from the two neighbouring forces got together to target Braybrooke Travellers’ Site on Braybrooke Road, between Market Harborough and Desborough.

“On Friday, January 7, a cross-border operation saw officers from our Rural Crime Team join forces with Leicestershire Police’s Rural Crime Team to attend the area as a result of information received that £90,000 worth of plant machinery had been fraudulently hired in Leicestershire and was being used on the site,” said Northamptonshire Police.

The highly-specialist heavy plant machinery recovered at the countryside site by police is believed to have been a 360 excavator and a roller.

As the equipment was being retrieved, PC Hutch Hutchings carried out further criminal checks on the travellers’ site.

And the diligent officer quickly established that three caravans located at the scene had all been stolen.

The caravans are worth a total of £60,000.

PC Hutchings immediately alerted one of the stolen caravan owners “and due to the circumstances of the theft the insurance company had refused to pay out”, said police.

The shocked victim was “overjoyed” as he had saved hard for years to buy his caravan and had only had it for a few months before the vehicle was cruelly stolen, said police.

All three caravans are now being returned to their grateful owners.

Today Sgt Andy Maher, of Northamptonshire Police’s Rural Crime Team, said: “This was an extremely successful operation.

“I am pleased that not only was the plant machinery recovered, but three stolen caravans were also discovered too.

“They will now be returned to their rightful owners.”

He added: “It was great to execute this operation in partnership with our colleagues in Leicestershire and I hope it sends a message to criminals.

“It doesn’t matter where you commit your crimes because we will work together to thwart you.”