A digger worth £17,000 which was stolen from Milton Keynes has today been recovered in Bulgaria, thanks to use of trackers and forensic markings by Thames Valley Police’s Rural Crime Task Force.

Sometime between the 14th of February and the 1st of March this year, the hired Kubota excavator was stolen from an address in The Hide.

As the machinery had been fitted with a tracking chip and forensic markings, it’s now been traced to a location in Bulgaria.

Rural Crime Taskforce lead, Inspector Stuart Hutchings, spoke of the recovery in a statement released today, saying: “The use of trackers and forensic markings made all the difference in recovering this stolen digger.

“Partnership working was also crucial as we worked effectively with the NRCT, Interpol and HSS Hire Ltd, which rented out the machinery in the first place, to ensure the digger was not lost.

“While we were unable to identify who stole the digger, I believe getting it back safely in one piece is a success as the cost of plant theft on companies cannot be underestimated, which is why it is one of the taskforce’s top priorities.”