Appeal to drivers after stolen diggers were recovered being moved into Yorkshire

Organised crime involving the theft of plant machinery continues to impact farmers, rural communities, and businesses across the country.

On 16 November, an officer from the South Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Proactive Team acted on tracker alerts after reports that stolen diggers from Nottinghamshire were moving into South Yorkshire.

A spokesperson for SYP said:

‘The officer located suspicious HGVs parked in the Wath and Bolton Upon Dearne areas.

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‘The HGV in Bolton-Upon-Dearne was displaying false licence plates, and the visible damage roused our officer’s suspicions. After further inspection, the officer found three stolen mini diggers.

‘Inside an HGV in Wath, a further two diggers were found.

‘We are urging motorists to help us tackle crime and asking if you spot a vehicle with suspicious damage or irregularities, please report it to us.

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‘If you are an HGV driver, you have expertise of the vehicles and also an elevated position to see what other road users may not be able to view.

‘The HGV that was used to cover the stolen machinery was displaying a ‘74’ registration plate but this could not have been genuine due to the condition of the vehicle.

‘It also had its roof removed. this was to allow the diggers to fit in and the vehicle was visibly overweight.

‘An HGV driver may have noticed the excavator arms of the diggers visible above the height of the vehicle.

‘As our investigation into finding those responsible for the theft of the machinery continues, we’re asking anyone with information to get in touch.

‘The HGV was parked with its curtains closed, as if the driver was sleeping, on Brookfields Way, Wath Upon Dearne.

‘Did you see this vehicle travelling between Nottingham and Rotherham on 16 November or see it arrive on Brookfields Way?

‘If you believe you can help, please get in touch online, via live chat or by calling 101 quoting incident number 817 of 16 November 2025.

‘The machinery has since been forensically examined and returned to its rightful owners.’