A West Midlands-based hire company received an enquiry on Friday 1st December which turned out to be fraudulent.

The gentleman gave his name as Adrian Smith from ADS Groundworks Ltd. An account form and insurance documents were received, and an email address given as adsgroundworks@gmail.com. The order was for a construction site in Dudley, West Midlands.

A HPC Kaeser 125.4 Compressor was stolen from a commercial site at Fraser Road, Erith, Kent on the afternoon of Friday 24th November. It had telematics fitted, but this stopped working on the following afternoon.

The machine is painted blue with hire company livery, and has the serial number 1111. 

An individual by the name of Thomas Smith has been operating around the area of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, hiring numerous pieces of equipment and not returning it.

On 29th and 30th August 2023 Mr Smith contacted a HAE member company in the area and hired several items including a medium electric breaker, a 5KVA diesel generator with some extension leads and transformer, an electric power transformer and a petrol vibrating plate. Both deliveries were made to Connswater Community Centre and were signed for by the individual both times. 

On Saturday 4th November at approximately 7pm a group of thieves attempted to steal a Takeuchi TB210R Micro Digger from the yard of a hire centre in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

The hire company were able to view CCTV footage from a neighbouring business. One of the thieves approached the gates to the property where it was clear he was assessing the site for the best means of access. 15 minutes later a Mercedes Sprinter van arrived and the thieves, which were all male and wearing hi-vis jackets, cut through the lock and entered the property.

Long term CITS partners HAE, have been alerted by one of their members that they have subsequently fallen victim to theft, suspected to be by the same individual reported to CITS for previous thefts in Warwickshire. The perpetrator goes by the name Sean Charnley of SMC Groundworks. Mr Charnley gave a residential address in Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire. 

Two large construction machines on hire to a site in Warwickshire were stolen from a nearby storage site on 13th October 2023. 

The hirer, giving his name as Sean Charnley of SMC Groundworks, had taken the equipment from the construction site to a nearby farm for storage, although it's now evident the kit was moved to facilitate the subsequent theft.

On Saturday 23rd September, some individuals gained access to a residential construction site in Marsh Lane, Cockeram, Lancaster and stole a 24ft x 10ft self-contained welfare unit along with a 10kva diesel generator. The unit is blue and has hire company markings, displaying fleet number: 2096/24-9/W.

A plant and tool hire company based in Staffordshire was contacted by an individual claiming that he worked for Dynamiq Engineering. The individual’s request to hire a digger and dumper, contradicted previous orders given by Dynamiq Engineering. Suspicion grew when the delivery address provided was Wilmot Gardens, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire - a residential location with no construction work taking place on-site or nearby.

It has been reported to CITS, that individuals claiming to work for ‘Design Solutions’ hired plant and equipment from a London-based plant and tool hire business in London for two sites in Kent: Unit 2 Canal Road, Gravesend, DA12 2RS, and Old Gas Works, Brielle Way, Sheerness, ME12 1YW.

A HPC Kaeser M82 Diesel Compressor was stolen from a construction site in Radcliffe, Manchester between 8.15 and 8.45pm on Wednesday 26th July.

The compressor was relatively new, manufactured in January 2023, painted yellow and displayed hire company decals (more information available on request).

A Sunbelt Tandem Roller has been reported as stolen. The machine's R/ON asset number is A645519.

It was stolen from the Warwickshire area. The machine has been assigned the following Crime Reference Number: 23/27367/23.

A Kubota 1.5T KX015-4 Excavator has been reported stolen from a residential address in Skipton, North Yorkshire. The theft occurred on Monday 19th June 2023.

The equipment was on hire to a man giving his name as Kurt Baxter from the same address where the theft occurred. He provided three separate forms of identification to confirm this address.

It has been reported that the following items have been stolen from near Stamford, Lincolnshire from a secure location.

The items taken are as follows :-

• White JCB Generator G40RS V - 40kVA  - Serial no HARED12SHN3076176
• Western Global Plant Trailer, Generator was bolted to this trailer - Serial SEWTAUN30NBSA1844
• Ifor Williams Tri Axle Flat Bed Trailer - serial no 5170220

A JCB 1-tonne Hi-tip dumper was taken around 10pm on June 5th, from a site in Spondon Street, Nottingham.

It was a 2016 model with serial number GGRA3148 and CESAR/Datatag triangle reference 60 A02E. The theft was reported to Nottinghamshire Police and has been assigned crime reference 0169-060623.

WhatsApp scam that steals access to a victims’ WhatsApp account!

The scam begins when a criminal gets access to another WhatsApp users’ account, which has you listed as a contact.

Involved in scam purchases of quad bikes and expensive mountain bikes across Yorkshire and the North East!

Latest offence yesterday with a clever fake bank transfer fraud for the purchase of a £3500 Specialized Kenovo Expert downhill electric bike!

CITS have been informed of a potential fraudster - ‘Chloe Platt’ - who hired a Kubota excavator from a plant-hire company based in Rugely, Staffordshire. She paid for a two-day hire using a credit card and left with the machine. She returned the following morning and hired a road-towable chipper, paying in advance by credit card once again.

Do you recognise the man in this picture. He's been caught on camera in the Staffordshire area breaking into vans to steal tools.

If you have any information please contact Staffordshire Police - Website Contact Information, or email faye@cits.uk.com

ACE have recently highlighted an increase in theft of equipment and tools from construction sites.

2 towable trailer lights were stolen from a supermarket in West Midlands on 8th June with one light show right.

We are appealing for information and issuing a warning around the potential sale of plant machinery following the theft of four excavators from a site in South Hykeham.

Three mini Bobcat diggers and one 3.5 tonne Kubota digger were stolen from the Boundary Lane on Wednesday 8 June. The mini diggers are white, red and black, and the larger one is black and orange.

A Bomag 80 Roller was stolen on June 20th at 6.45pm from a Wain Homes building site in Preston, Lancashire.

The machine belongs to B. Dent Plant Hire, and its serial number is 101642002813.

CITS have been alerted to the break-in of a hire company, in Brentwood Essex , resulting in the theft of equipment worth over £7,000 in value.

CITS have been informed that a Sunbelt tower light - A1141800 - was stolen from a site in Canal Street, Leeds on March 31st.

It has been reported to CITS, that a 2.5 T JCB, Sunbelt Excavator, Model 8026, has been stolen from the Wolverhampton area of the West Midlands. The machine which is fitted with a tracker, was last traced to a location in Tipton, West Midlands at 6am this morning (21.03.22).

CITS have been informed, of reported fraudulent attempts to hire equipment from depots across the Midlands and North of England network. In the week commencing Monday 28th February a gentleman going by name 'Ryan Samuels' phoned the hire centres asking for 4.2m scaffold towers, posing as a cash customer and leaving deposits on what are believed to be stolen credit cards. 

Stolen overnight 24/02/2022 from A63 Hull, Highways project. Offenders smashed windows of specialist plant and removed Baur computers and external GPS receivers. Value £200,000.00 

Information received from a CITS Member has made us aware that some individuals in the water industry have recently received an unexpected package through the post like the one above. These parcels contain a fraudulent thank you letter, an Amazon gift card and a USB device. 

The following item was reported stolen today (28.02.22) - from a site in Butterbridge, Glen Kinglas, near Cairndow, G83 7AS. 

It was manufactured in Italy in 2015, and has the serial number S-11807.  

It has been reported that two new Brian James T6 trailers were stolen, after being fraudulently hired from a company in the Leicester area in December 2021.

CITS is asking to help identify Scammers in police hunt. This week, BBC News and other outlets have reported a scam in which £500,000 construction machinery were stolen.

CITS have been alerted to a new Kubota KX027-4 Mini-Excavator, stolen from a construction site in the Epping, Essex area. The theft was reported by the site’s owner on Saturday 29th January 2022.

An individual claiming to be from Apex Construction Work Ltd attempted to hire several items of equipment from Lakeside Hire’s depot in South London on 28th January.

Sunbelt Rentals has had a HAMM Roller stolen from the East Leeds Orbital Route on Saturday evening (15th January).

NaVCIS Theft Alert - Stolen 13 December 2021 from Ernest Doe, Maldon, Essex, a rare and unregistered, New Holland B1107.TC Tractor.

Stolen around 16.15hrs on the 6/12/21 a HAMM HD10CVV roller on hire from Sunbelt rentals. This was on a UKCS project on the A606, PE9 2RJ, Empingham Rd, Stamford from a temporary compound.

CITS has been informed that there was a theft of a 1.5 tonne mini-excavator and two alloy towers from the Braintree area of Essex on 24th November 2021.

Theft of GPS systems from agricultural machines has reached epidemic proportions in some parts of the UK, and there are concerns that criminals may be turning their attention to similar technology installed in construction plant.

Derbyshire Police have released an appeal following a high value burglary of specialist surveying equipment. Opal ACE urge anyone purchasing any items shown below to check serial numbers carefully. The items are new condition many in original packaging.

A theft occurred between Thursday 28th and Friday 29th October; a 1.5T Excavator and 1T Dumper were taken. The customer, Four Seasons Family Landscapes of Collingham, Newark, requested the equipment be delivered to a different site in Long Bennington, Nottinghamshire from where it was stolen.

A break-in occurred at 11.31pm on Monday 18th October at the premises of Greenplant Ltd. in Wheatley on the outskirts of Oxford.

The thieves caused major damage in order to gain access to the building and stole more than 80 items of small tools, equipment and accessories worth approximately £40,000. The whole crime was carried out in under six minutes.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: Doosan Compressor - M4 SMART Motorway Site demobilising and discovering plant that has been stolen. Reported 15/10/2021.

Crime Reference Number:  SP-144692-21-4343-00.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: Pressure Washer - M4 SMART Motorway Site demobilising and discovering plant that has been stolen. Reported 15/10/2021.

Crime Reference Number:  SP-144692-21-4343-00.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: Stolen overnight and discovered on the 08/10/21 a HAMM HD12VV roller on hire from Sunbelt rentals.

Crime Reference Number:  13210513600.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: Stolen 1500 09/09/2021Trench Rammer – MA1296283 on hire from Speedy.

Crime Reference Number:  2100326761.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: This very distinctive white Volvo FL 12t with Secmair combi sprayer body VRM.

Registration Plate:  AX68SZT.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: Sunbelt 100rdl Twin Wheeled Roller – Tracking device fitted and removed.

Identifying Marks:  Fleet Number A681892.

County Hire Tool and Plant has reported a U10-3 Digger stolen from a customer’s premises on the evening of Wednesday 5th May.  The machine is a U10-3 Kubota diesel.

CITS was alerted of a ram-raid on a construction equipment hire depot in St Ives, Cambridgeshire in the evening of Friday 12th February. A number of cut-off saws were stolen.

Between the hours of 6pm and 6am on the night of 9th/10th February, a business premises on the Station Field Industrial Estate, Kidlington, Oxfordshire was broken into and a large amount of power tools were stolen.

CITS have been alerted to the following attempted fraud:

Hirebase has reported a man asking to hire a hybrid breaker and plate compactor on account. He gave a few different post codes to check accounts (all closed) then gave the account number SDY0082 belonging to G and S Hutchinson.

CITS have been alerted to the following attempted Fraudulent Activity:

Please be advised that it seems there is a small gang (at least two) driving a grey VW Transporter type van targeting hire branches across the Yorkshire/Humberside area.

A 2 tonne Dumper has been stolen, last night (12th Nov), from Parkers Lane Sheffield.

The machine’s serial number is: SN8038.

It’s a Mecalac Dumper, wrapped in MTS plant stickers. .

Balfour Beatty have reported the following:

On the 2nd November a Sun Belt, Ride on Roller, valued at £13k was stolen from roadworks, on the A63 in Hull.

The GAP Group's Bradford depot have recently averted an attempted fraudulent hire.

A person calling himself Mark Stevens purporting to be from Moortown Construction (Group) tried to hire a 8T Digger and a 6T Dumper, a check by the depot with Moortown confirmed this to be an attempted fraudulent hire.

Sarah Rendall from Independent Welding Services has reported a stolen generator which was taken onsite in Slough.

The vehicle used, captured on CCTV with two men removing the generator from site and putting it in to the back of a Silver Mercedes Van, Registration DF15 CPK.

A 2016 Bomag BW80AD - Serial number: 101462002822, Plant number: 2227, has been stolen.

The roller at the time was on hire from Plant and Machinery Hirers, Brian Dent Ltd. The machine has yellow branded stickers on the side and rear. It was last seen on site in Padiham, Lancashire before it was taken.

CITS have been alerted by a number of large businesses engaged in the construction industry that have been targeted by fraudsters.

One company on at least 4 occasions over the last 6 months has fallen victim to identity fraud, Criminals have targeted companies and used their branding, Executive's names and signatures to create false orders for large quantities of metal items such a galvanised steel and copper.

CITS have been alerted by Hire Association Europe (HAE), that numerous hire centres have reported fraudulent activity over the last few days, please beware before hiring any equipment in the name of Ricky Simpson of 21 Church Road, London, E10 5JP.

This individual has approached several hire companies and obtained various items of equipment during late July and early August. Please check any live hires you have in the name of Ricky Simpson.

CITS have been alerted to theft of a stolen Bomag 120 roller taken from a site in Nottingham last night.

The machine on hire at the time from GAP hire was last seen at Burton Road compound, at 5pm on the 13th August 2020. The machines plant number is 3183353, Nottinghamshire police have been alerted.

A 2015 Thwaites 6-tonne Dumper, serial number: SLCM20661503D3983, was stolen on the 5th August from Engine Road, Leadgate, County Durham NE17 7AX.

Also stolen were 2 buckets 24" & 36" with plant numbers 4295 (24") & 4256 (36").

CITS have today been made aware that National Grids identity is being used in an attempt to defraud suppliers. The scam has been targeted at both current and prospective supplier.

Be aware and be vigilant is the message from CITS so that your company does not become a victim.

Balfour Beatty have today (17th July) reported to CITS the theft of a GAP fuel bowser, stolen overnight from a railway track in Whaplode, Lincoln.

The evening before the theft, it was reported by an employee who was getting ready to leave the site, that the fuel bowser had a puncture.

CITS have been alerted of a Romanian chap called Alin Lonescu who is fronting a company called SLG construction Ltd in West London.

The suspect has been hiring plant which has included a Bobcat 550 and a Kubota U27-4 using genuine documents. He then reports the hired equipment as stolen.

CITS Members the CPA were alerted on Friday to the theft over night of a mini-excavator. The Kubota U27-4 Mini-excavator, Serial Number 63846 was taken using a van at 19:10pm.

The vehicle was on the move from 19:30 onwards, it passed through the A1060 Park Way where a ANPR camera spotted it.

CITS have been alerted of an ex GAP machine which has been found in the back of a stolen van in Bedfordshire. The machine which was sold back in 2013 was found but has no new keeper details identified.

Two excavators have been stolen from Pontefract, through a fraudulent hire. A suspect from Burnley is being investigated.

As another week of lock down draws to an end we want to highlight to our members and the wider audience that plant theft still remains a big issue in these challenging times.

CITS has today been made aware by an Operation Opal, Crime Intelligence Analyst of the latest plant theft scam using COVID-19 as a way to lure their victims. The offenders returned to remove a dumper truck before the real hire company made an enquiry regarding the machine days later.

The theft of a pressure washer Bowser stolen in the Croydon area using a transit van was reported to CITS a few days ago. Since that theft CITS have now been given further intelligence that the same transit van has been involved in other reported thefts.

CITS members the CPA have been alerted that a Hyundai Z-9 Mini Excavator has been discovered in Billingford, Mid-Norfolk. If anyone has lost one like this, then they should contact Suffolk Police to see if it is theirs.