Intruders steal Â£85,000 worth of equipment from Battle business

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Police are investigating the theft of some Â£85,000 worth of equipment from a gardening and tree surgery business in Battle.

It was stolen from the Armadillo Group premises in Telham Lane some time between Friday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 5 after intruders used bolt croppers to remove padlocks from gates and broke into a shipping container on site used to store the missing items.

Stolen property includes an Ifor Williams double-axle trailer, a green Quadtech 160 wood chipper, a blue Wallenstein 630EU wood splitter, a Polaris 900 diesel all-terrain vehicle, five Husqvarna chain saws and various other power tools and equipment.

PC Steve Meppem, of the Hastings and Rother neighbourhood response team, said: “Given the size of some items and the number stolen, it is highly likely that the offenders used vehicles of their own to carry out this theft.

“Anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious, who is offered such items for sale in unusual circumstances or who has any other information which may help our investigation is asked to get in touch without delay.”

Information can be reported online at https://sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal/ or by email to [email protected], quoting serial 499 of 05/04.

Details can also be reported anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or by phoning 101.