Police have recovered more than £80,000 worth of stolen property, including vehicles, caravans, and copper cabling, in a two-day operation across Swale. The seizures, led by the Kent Police Rural Task Force, have resulted in one arrest and three ongoing investigations.
The crackdown began on Wednesday when officers recovered two caravans from a site in Bobbing. One caravan was allegedly stolen from Guildford, Surrey, back in 2021, while the other was reportedly taken from Much Wenlock, Shropshire, in July 2025. A quad bike and a digger, also believed to be stolen, were recovered from the same location.
The following day, officers were called to an industrial site in Minster on the Isle of Sheppey after a report of copper cable theft. After an extensive search, a large quantity of copper cable valued at approximately £7,000 was located in a rural area near Newington. A 27-year-old man was later arrested in connection with the theft.
Lee Craddock, Head of Security at UK Power Networks, praised the police’s swift response.
“Tampering with electricity equipment is dangerous and disruptive for our communities,” he said. “We thank Kent Police for their support and urge the public to report any suspicious activity.”
The same day, a Bobcat excavator, reported stolen from Ashford in January 2024, was seized from a site in Eastchurch. Three other suspects remain under investigation for their alleged involvement in the thefts.
Sergeant Ross Haybourne, from the Rural Task Force, said:
‘Since January 2024, our team has seized more than £3.5 million in suspected stolen items as part of our crackdown on countryside crime in Kent. This has been achieved through proactive policing, community engagement and targeted activity. We will continue our operations to target those whose criminal activity would impact our rural businesses and residents. This includes tracking down stolen plant, farm and agricultural machinery, as well as caravans and leisure vehicles, and seeking out offenders to bring them to justice.’