Twenty charged over £1m digger thefts

Twenty people have been charged in connection with the large-scale theft of plant hire machinery worth about £1m.

The 14 men and six women were all arrested in 2025 as part of an investigation by Cheshire Police into the theft of equipment - mainly mechanical diggers - from hire companies across the UK.

The force previously said the investigation involved an alleged conspiracy spanning from September 2020 to February 2025.

The allegations involved using false identities in order to hire out plant equipment "with no intent of ever returning the machines," it added.

The reported thefts took place in 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 following suspects are set to appear in Chester Magistrates' Court on 9 September:

• James Bergquist, 46, from Sandiway in Huyton, Merseyside, charged with two counts of conspiracy to steal, one of conspiracy to burgle, and two of handling stolen goods.
• Thomas Howard, 34, of Burnley Road in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with two counts of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Natasha Taylor, 38, of Kay Street in Padiham, Lancashire charged with two counts of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Madison Grattan, 30, of Sycamore Avenue in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal, one of conspiracy to burgle, and one of handling stolen goods.
• William Cross, 43, of Cog Lane in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal, one of conspiracy to burgle, and one of handling stolen goods.
• Stephen Simpson, 43, of Prestwich Street in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal, one of conspiracy to burgle, and one of handling stolen goods.
• Shaun Craig, 35, of Fielden Street in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Carl Harwood, 31, of Burnley Road in Padiham, Lancshire charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Daniel Aston, 29, of Holcombe Drive in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Alexandra Dodgeon, 29, of Sycamore Avenue in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Lee Harrison, 40, of Manchester Road in Burnley, Lancashire charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Francis Maughan, 29, of Canal Street in Accrington, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to burgle.
• Ryan Williamson, 45, of Milton Street in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Brian Finnigan, 70, of St Giles Street in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Anthony Houghton, 63, of St Giles Street in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Neil Garrett, 45, of Ribble Street in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Craig Atkinson, 58, of Accrington Road in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Ellie-Jay Day, 30, of Devon Grove in Burnley, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Katherine Ostrowercha, 30, of Whitegate Close in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.
• Lauren Neil, 38, of Whitegate Close in Padiham, Lancashire, charged with one count of conspiracy to steal.

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