UK News
Tractors the latest target in crime wave
By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff News Jan 21, 2008, 9:48 GMT
(FILE) Professional visitors chat in front of a large tractor on display at the agriculture trade fair \'Agritechnica 2007\' in Hanover, Germany, 12 Novermber 2007. EPA/PETER STEFFEN
(M&C) - Tractors and expensive agricultural equipment are the unusual, yet lucrative subject of the latest crime wave.
Investigators believe an international criminal syndicate is behind the theft of British tractors which are then given new "identification" and shipped to places such as Australia.
Senior managers at Britain's National Plant and Equipment Register are reported to be working with UK police to apprehend the criminals reports the Times.
"From the criminal perspective, there is a low-risk, high-reward balance in this activity," one of the register's managers Tim Purbrick told the newspaper.
"Drug smuggling is high risk, but the chances of being caught stealing a tractor are low, and stealing tractors is more lucrative."
Popular brands in the £3 million a year crime wave are the John Deere range as well as New Holland, Case, Massey Ferguson, JCB, Caterpillar and Daewoo.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in UK
- 1. Cambridge beat Oxford in 158th Boat Race after midway halt
- 2. Gas flare at Total's North Sea platform self-extinguishes
- 3. A myth turns 100: Titanic still fascinates world
- 4. Source of North Sea platform gas leak located, says Total
- 5. Efforts under way to stop gas leak on North Sea platform
Older Talkback
