Police have arrested six individuals following the recovery of over £300,000 worth of suspected stolen machinery across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. The large-scale operation, known as Operation Alchemy, involved executing six warrants at farms and commercial sites, targeting organised criminal activity in rural communities.
The raids took place in several locations including Ledbury, Pendock, Staunton, Redmarley, and Stroud. In Pendock alone, officers seized ten pieces of plant machinery such as excavators and dumper trucks, one of which was reported stolen earlier that day from Cardiff.
Two men were arrested in Pendock; a man in his 50s on suspicion of theft and a man in his 30s on suspicion of motor vehicle theft. Both have since been released on police bail.
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At a site in Redmarley, police recovered ten more machines including excavators, dumper trucks, and a stolen car. In Staunton, a suspected stolen tractor and car were seized, leading to the arrest of a woman in her 50s on suspicion of fraud by false representation and a man in his 20s on suspicion of fraud and forgery. Both remain released under investigation.
Further recoveries included a stolen roller from a commercial premises in Stroud and additional stolen machinery and a car in Pendock.
A woman in her 30s was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods at an address in Eastnor, Ledbury, and has been released on police bail.
Additionally, a 35-year-old man was arrested at a site in Redmarley and charged with handling stolen goods related to a dumper truck valued at £18,000. He was scheduled to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on the day of the report.
Operation Alchemy was a collaborative effort involving Gloucestershire Police, West Mercia Police, the National Construction & Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT), British Transport Police, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce (OICDT), Leicestershire Police, Warwickshire Police, Immigration Enforcement, and the Environment Agency.
Inspector Dan Wakeford of Gloucestershire Constabulary emphasised the impact of crime on rural communities and expressed commitment to making the region hostile to rural, wildlife, and heritage crime. He highlighted the importance of empowering rural residents to report crime confidently.
Inspector Billy Keys of West Mercia Police praised the coordinated multi-agency approach, which resulted in multiple arrests and the recovery of stolen machinery, noting the disruption to organised criminal gangs operating in rural areas and indicating that such operations will continue.
Superintendent Andrew Huddleston, Head of NCATT, noted that Operation Alchemy aligns with ongoing efforts to combat organised groups targeting high-value agricultural and construction equipment. He underscored that the operation aimed not only to protect commercial assets but also to challenge organised crime causing harm to rural communities.