Twenty individuals have been charged in connection with the alleged large-scale theft of plant hire machinery, including mechanical diggers, estimated to be worth around £1 million. Cheshire Police stated that the investigation, which led to the arrests of 14 men and six women in 2025, spanned 19 counties across England.
The force previously indicated that the alleged conspiracy involved using false identities to hire plant equipment with no intention of returning the machines. This alleged activity reportedly took place between September 2020 and February 2025.
The reported thefts occurred in counties including Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Humberside, Hampshire, West Midlands, Hertfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Merseyside, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Suffolk, Cornwall, and Lincolnshire.
The suspects are scheduled to appear at Chester Magistrates' Court on 9 September.