Stolen Excavator Recovered on A34 After Tracker Leads Police to Suspect

A man has been arrested after police recovered a suspected stolen excavator that was tracked to the A34 near Newbury.

Officers were called at 12.58pm on Wednesday, 20 August, following a report that an excavator had been stolen from an address on Queens Ride in North Baddesley.

The machine, which had been fitted with a tracker, was later identified as stationary on the A34 northbound. Police attended the location and discovered a van had broken down on the hard shoulder shortly after 2pm. The suspected stolen excavator was found loaded onto a trailer being towed by the van.

A 32 year old man from St Helen’s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. He was also arrested on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and using a vehicle on a road without third party insurance.

He remains in police custody while enquiries continue.

The excavator has since been recovered and returned to its rightful owner.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the theft.