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I wanted to provide you with an update regarding Vehicle Crime - theft from / theft of, which people around your area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the priority survey. A 55-year-old man from Bursledon has been jailed for 15 months for theft and fraud offences.
Richard Charles Brown, of Silver Birches, pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday 13 March.
He returned to the same court on Friday (22 May), where he received concurrent sentences of 15 months for fraud and 12 months for theft.
It follows an incident on Friday 3 May 2024, during which Brown used false identification in order to hire a Yanmar SV26 Excavator from a plant hire company in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The mini digger, worth £33,500, was delivered to Brown’s home address.
The company then attempted to collect the vehicle at the end of the hire period, but Brown had already blocked their number and become obstructive.
Upon attending his address, it came to light that the vehicle had already been moved on, within hours of it first being dropped off.
Speaking after sentencing, investigating officer, PC Tim Bright said: “This was a real team effort, and I am pleased to see it result in a custodial sentence. I’d also like to recognise the victim’s commitment in supporting the case through to court.”
If you own or work at a plant hire company, please see the below crime prevention advice to help deter thieves and prevent thefts.
Organised criminals often target plant hire companies using false ID, forged documents, and last-minute fraudulent hires.
Strengthen Identity and Hire Checks
We recommend checking trade accounts or customer references, confirming photo ID and a verified address.
Please also remain cautious of last minute, high value, or unusual hire requests, photograph the person collecting machinery, where appropriate, and scrutinise documents closely - check if they appear altered or inconsistent
Enhanced Machinery Protection Measures
In addition to standard locks and trackers, please consider Geofence technology that alerts you if machinery moves outside a set area, hidden GPS trackers to complement visible deterrent units.
Please also ensure you keep serial numbers, VINs, and recent photographs of each machine. These measures increase the chances of recovery and disrupt organised criminals.
Improving Site and Storage Security
When machinery is stored, keep it out of sight from public roads where possible, use locked barriers, bunds, bollards, or concrete blocks to prevent removal.
Please also consider parking machines so they block one another in, making them harder to extract. These simple layout changes significantly increase theft effort and risk.
If anything feels suspicious, do not release the equipment. Report concerns via 101 or 999 in an emergency.
https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rc/rural-crime/heavy-machinery-theft-prevention/
 If you ever experience this issue or have information regarding an incident, please report it using our online reporting tools at www.hampshire.police.uk, or call the non-emergency number 101. Alternatively, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. Get Involved Please consider getting involved by registering for these messages, this will enable you to contribute to the local priority survey. We may be unaware of issues that you would like us to focus on. Take a few minutes to securely and privately register and have your say using the button below, this will mean we can focus on things that matter to you. 
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