The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held the final 2025 police training event in conjunction with Southern Water.

On the 20th November 2025, police and leading security experts from industry came together for a one day training event at the East Sussex hotel.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held a special ‘police-only’ training event and conference as part of the biannual CITS industry conference, at the impressive JCB world headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire.

Police officers and industry professionals dedicated to tackling machinery and equipment theft were recognised at this year’s CITS CESAR Awards, held on Thursday 6 November 2025 at JCB World Headquarters.

The awards took place following the CITS Conference, which brought together senior police officers, government representatives, and industry leaders to address the continuing threat of theft and fraud across the construction and agricultural sectors.

The CEA (Construction Equipment Association), owner of the official CESAR Scheme, attended this year’s CITS Conference on Thursday, 6 November 2025, at JCB World Headquarters, where CESAR featured prominently throughout the day’s discussions.

Hosted by Ian Elliott CITS Chairman and Dave Luscombe, who also represented the CEA at the afternoon’s Police Awards, the event brought together senior police officers, government representatives, and industry leaders to tackle the growing threat of theft and fraud across the construction and agricultural sectors.

The Conservative leader pledged to introduce dedicated rural police officers and increase sentences for those who steal from farmers and traders.

Kemi Badenoch has said she will stand with the country’s “grafters” as she pledged to crack down on the theft of work tools and agricultural equipment.

NCATT lead a warrant with West Yorkshire Police last week. A number of confirmed stolen items were removed from the site as well as cash and Class A drugs and a number of arrests were made.

Two chops shops were also located on the site and numerous vehicle parts seized.

A serial fraudster from Bradford is beginning a 33-month prison sentence after attempting to sell heavy earth-moving machinery that he didn’t own.

One victim paid Anthony Gribbin £10,200 in two instalments for heavy equipment that didn’t exist and later received only a partial refund.

CITS (Combined Industries Theft Solutions) will be holding their conference at JCB’s World Headquarters in Staffordshire on the 6th of November, which will focus on the threats and challenges industry faces in 2026 and beyond.

The conference has been specifically tailored to help address the concerns of industry, and to educate the police. The industry’s event will begin in the morning for industry, while a ‘police-only’ training and briefing session will be held in the afternoon.

On the 6th November 2025, CITS will hold a conference at the impressive JCB world headquarters in Staffordshire. The conference, will see two events run throughout the day. One a specific industry event, and a second a police only training and briefing session.

Detail of outcome

After analysing the evidence, the government will seek to implement forensic marking and database registration for new:

• all-terrain vehicles
• GPS units for agricultural and commercial use

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held a ‘police-only’ training event at the bi-annual Plantworx exhibition at Newark Showground.

On the 23rd September 2025, a CITS ‘police-only’ training event took place on the opening morning of the Plantworx exhibition, the event which runs for three days, showcases a mix of live demonstrations and the latest construction equipment and technology.

On Tuesday 16th September 2025, NCATT were contacted by a plant hire company who had had four machines stolen in two separate instances.

Two of the machines were tracked to Bulgaria, with the others in North Yorkshire and Essex.

On 10/9/2025 NCATT team member Gavin Hughes, was engaged in a multi-agency check in Cambridgeshire when this IFOR williams trailer (please see photo), was brought into the check site, it was straight away identified as stolen, and had been taken from a Farm in Suffolk in 2016 and subject to an NFU Mutual insurance pay out. Investigations are on going.

On Wednesday 10th September, the NCATT team were deployed to the West Midlands as a result of a reported stolen telehandler taken by means of fraud. As a result of enquiries on a Wolverhampton site, and by liaising with three hire companies, two males were arrested, and 11 stolen machines were seized from three different locations across the midlands.

NCATT were contacted last week by two CITS tracking companies - Cantrack and Tritontrak - regarding their customers' stolen machines being transported through the Czech Republic. Through swift action from NCATT, an urgent Interpol request was raised and two vehicles were detained and three occupants arrested.

A Thwaites dumper was yesterday (09/09/25) recovered by NCATT Supt Andrew Huddleston following enquiries in the Durham area, it had been stolen in August 2024 from West Yorkshire and is part of an ongoing investigation with West Yorkshire Police. Another great success from NCATT!

The NCATT team were alerted to a Derbyshire property, where 6 cloned machines were discovered and seized. The machines were three Manitous and three Thwaites.

The NCATT team were alerted to a Volvo Articulated Dump Truck (ADT), which had been stolen from a HS2 site at Kingsbury in the Midlands. Within 24-hours of the theft, NCATT had located the ADT, which belongs to Flannery’s, to the village of Desford in Leicester.

The NCATT police unit were successful in arresting several suspects in an operation last week in South Yorkshire. 

After obtaining a warrant, the recovery included dumpers, an excavator and roller, as well as other items of equipment - with a combined value of £250,000. 

A special ‘invitation only’ event at Coutts Bank, in conjunction with CITS and the Security Awareness Specialist Interest Group (SASIG), will take place on the 20th June.

The event is aimed to raise awareness of the real threats being faced by those responsible for the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). This escalated threat from rogue state-owned sponsors is particularly being recognised by government.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held the third police training event of 2025 at the Headquarters of Trade Vehicle Lock (TVL), in Essex.

On the 6 June 2025, a further CITS police training event took place at the headquarters of vehicle innovation providers TVL, in Brentwood, Essex. The event was hosted in conjunction with the National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT), Police liaison officers of the official CESAR Scheme, and representatives of Leica, Clancy’s and J Murphy & Son’s.

Detectives from Cheshire Police have arrested eight people as part of an ongoing investigation in relation to the theft of approximately £1 million worth of plant equipment from across the UK.

The six men and two women were arrested earlier today, Wednesday 7 May, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft and fraud, following a series warrants in Burnley.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held the second training event of 2025 in West Yorkshire.

On the 7th May 2025, the CITS police training event took place at Burntwood Court with the support of Hitachi Construction. The event was hosted in conjunction with the National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT), Police liaison officers of the official CESAR Scheme, and representatives of Cantrack Global, NFU Mutual, Leica, Clancy’s and J Murphy & Son’s.

Iain McKinlay, Chair of the National Association of Stolen Vehicle Examiners (NASVE), has joined the CITS theft prevention partnership as Associate members.

NASVE is the UK’s only professional body dedicated to supporting Qualified Stolen Vehicle Examiners (QSVE)  involved in the Examination and identification of stolen vehicles.

In December 2024, Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth North spoke to Parliament regarding the ‘Theft of Tools (Sentencing)’ Bill.

In her address she outlined the impact of tool theft from vans by criminals, and the impact this has on victims. She spoke about current sentencing guidelines, and proposed new guidelines.

Officers from Cheshire Police have arrested ten people in connection to the theft of high value plant equipment following a series of dawn raids in Lancashire.

Earlier today, Wednesday 5 March, officers from Ellesmere Port CID, with the support of officers from The National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT) and Lancashire Rural Crime Team, executed eight warrants at premises across Padiham and Burnley, leading to the arrest of ten people.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held the first training event of 2025, hosted at agricultural dealer Farol in Milton Common, Oxfordshire.

On the 4th January 25, the first CITS police training event of 2025 took place, in conjunction with the National Construction and Agricultural theft team (NCATT), Police liaison officers of the official CESAR Scheme, representatives of Cantrack Global, Leica, Clancy’s and J Murphy & Son’s.

A new ERA Subgroup on Theft will look at the results, and they will look to pursue more effective anti-theft strategies and developing recommendations for the rental sector.

The survey contains 14 questions in total. All responses will be treated confidentially.

Police from four counties investigating a series of commercial burglaries across the region, have made two arrests and seized equipment estimated to be worth over a quarter of a million pounds.

On Friday 20 December, officers from Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire joined together to execute a warrant at a business park near Halstead in north Essex.

On Saturday 30th - a Surrey-based road surfacing contractor experienced a significant theft when over £140,000 worth of equipment was stolen from a site in the Biggleswade, Bedfordshire area.

The theft occurred around 4:00 AM when the thieves broke into the site, accessed a portacabin to retrieve keys, and made off with various equipment.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held the last training event of 2024, which was hailed another success, hosted at South Yorkshire Police College.

On the 29th of November, the final CITS police training event of 2024 took place, in conjunction with the National Construction and Agricultural theft team (NCATT), Police liaison officers of the official CESAR Scheme, representatives of Cantrack Global, NFU Mutual, Leica, Clancy’s, Hitachi and J Murphy & Son’s.

With the Christmas holiday period fast approaching, all hire companies need to be more vigilant than the rest of the year. There will be long periods when hire depots are not manned and present the criminal element more time to break into yards and steal equipment, fuel, or batteries.

Year to date overview to include: GPS Theft / Survey Equipment Theft / Plant Machinery Theft / Theft Hotspots for GPS, Quads, Plant / Good News Stories.

During the end of June and throughout July, the NCATT (National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team) have been instrumental in recovering various items of stolen machinery, whilst working in conjunction with other police forces and units around the country.

1. JCB Excavator Recovered
2. Western Pressure Washer Recovered
3. Essex Police Recoveries
4. Fraudulently Hire Recoveries
5. Compressor Recovered
6. SANY Excavator Recovered
7. HAMM Roller Recovered
8. NCATT / INTERPOL Recoveries
9. Plant Trailer Recovery
10. Manitou Telehandler Recovery
11. NCATT / Essex Police Recoveries
12. Massey Ferguson Tractor Recovery
13. Hitachi Excavotor Recovered

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held another successful police training event at Birmingham’s police training centre, Tally Ho.

On the 30 July, the third CITS police training event of 2024, took place in conjunction with the National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT), Police liaison officers of the official CESAR Scheme, representatives of Secure By Design (SBD), Leica, Clancy’s, Hitachi and J Murphy & Son’s.

The National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT) team executed a warrant in conjunction with Gloucestershire Police last week.

On that day, they recovered several items of machinery, which had been stolen from hire companies, builders and farms. Other items recovered were designer watches, cash, and antiques.

Supt Andrew Huddleston Awarded the IAATI UK Peter Leigh Plant and Agricultural Award!

Supt Andrew Huddleston was presented the award for his outstanding work by Iain Mckinlay on behalf of IAATI UK.

Throughout the months of May and June, NCATT – the National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team – have been instrumental in assisting, identifying or recovering agricultural or construction plant and equipment, as well as disrupting Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs). 

These successes have been in conjunction with various police forces, and their specialist units including: Cheshire Rural Crime Team, Essex Rural Engagement Team, North and South Yorkshire Police, as well as West Mercia Police. In addition to those operations, NCATT also recovered construction plant in Gloucestershire and Gwent, whilst helping to identify stolen plant found in London.

Police from forces across the Midlands are taking part in a construction and equipment theft training day, hosted at Tally Ho Police Training College in Birmingham.

The latest CITS police only training event will take place at Tally Ho Police Training College in Birmingham on the 30th July.

A search for one power tool with a tracking device led to the seizure of over 3,500 suspected stolen items for which officers would now like to identify owners.

Officers have finished cataloguing the items since recovering them on 26 April 2024, and the latest estimate of their combined value is believed to exceed one million pounds.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held a successful police training event at the offices of leading agricultural insurer, NFU Mutual, in Tiddington, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Police from forces across the Midlands are taking part in a farm and construction equipment training day hosted by the UK’s leading rural insurer NFU Mutual on June 5.

• Police from forces across the Midlands to attend rural crime training day 
• Farm security system demonstrations to take place 
• Latest figures from NFU Mutual reveal the estimated cost of rural crime in the Midlands shot up 30.1% to £11m in 2022

Farmers across the UK are being urged to be vigilant after a new wave of Global Positioning System (GPS) thefts in recent weeks, NFU Mutual and the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) have warned.

• NFU Mutual and the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) issue security alert following recent spate of GPS thefts
• Thieves hit farms in Lincolnshire, Essex, Newport, North Yorkshire, and Thames Valley
• Intel suggests farmers previously targeted in the last two years are being repeat victims

1. Joint police operation makes significant recovery!
2. Two Atlas Copco Generators Recovered!
3. Multi-agency action recovers stolen JCB!
4. A Stolen Wood Chipper Recovered!
5. A Stolen Hamm Roller is Recovered in Shropshire!
6. Stolen JCB – Arrest made!
7. NCATT recovers major machinery theft!

Thanks to a single power tool fitted with a tracking device, police have made seven arrests made and recovered more than 1,000 items in Kent.

A repeated victim of tool theft decided to attach trackers to his tools. When a drill went missing, he persuaded the police to act.

• Tradespeople given advice to step up security after spate of construction thefts
• Almost nine in 10 (89%) tradespeople have been victims of theft, NFU Mutual study finds
• Security measures urged with thefts from vehicles a common theme in the industry
• Advice comes as Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill makes progress  

An insurer of tradespeople has issued key advice following a recent rise in construction site thefts. 

Roger Bisby of Skill Builder YouTube Channels has a chat with Police Superintendent Andrew Huddleston about tool theft.

Andrew is Head of the National Rural Crime Unit / National Construction Agriculture Theft Team and NPCC lead: Theft of Construction & Agri Machinery.

Kent police officers who attended last month’s CITS organised CESAR police training day, proved it useful, when they raided a property in Medway, Kent, yesterday.

From that visit, they recovered a stolen JCB – which type (excavator/telehandler/etc.) – taken in 2019, and an IFOR Williams trailer.

In an on-going investigation by NaVCIS, NCATT, and Opal police units, a lorry was stopped whilst exiting the UK via Harwich on Monday 11th March, and found to contain 8 stolen machines.

The machines - with a combined value of £100,000 - had been stolen from North and South Yorkshire.

The National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT), were contacted by security provider Automatrics, with regards to a theft alert in Rochdale.

NCATT swiftly attended the site and a Mercedes Sprinter on false plates was found together with a 1-tonne Dumper in the back. Both had been stolen from Greater Manchester on two separate occasions earlier this year. A number of other fake number plates were also found within the vehicle.

The Combined Industry Theft Solutions (CITS) group, in partnership with police and partners, held a successful police training event at Kent police College in Maidstone.

On February 26th, the first CITS police training event of 2024, took place in conjunction with the National Construction and Agricultural theft team (NCATT), Police liaison officers of the official CESAR Scheme, representatives of Secure By Design (SBD), NFU Mutual, Leica, Clancy’s, Hitachi and support from Leica and FM Conway.

NCATT Success - The National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team (NCATT), together with Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team arrested one suspect for theft and handling of stolen plant last month.

NCATT Make 8 arrests - NCATT - National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team have had a busy first two weeks of 2024.

Two men have been jailed for their role in a series of high-value farm equipment thefts, following extensive investigations by Humberside Police and North Yorkshire Police. Tomas Staukauskas, 32, from Hull and Mantas Palionis, 31, also from Hull, were sentenced on Tuesday (21 November) at Hull Crown Court, having previously pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and going equipped for theft.