Appeal following theft of a JCB in Havant.

We are investigating a report of a JCB vehicle being stolen from a construction site on Bartons Road in Havant early on Sunday 21 October.

At some point between 03:15am and 05:05am the vehicle was stolen and driven through fencing and woods. It was later found abandoned on Snowberry Crescent in Denvilles.

A 43 year-old man from Waterlooville was arrested on suspicion of a number of offences, including theft of a vehicle. He has been released from custody without charge, but remains under investigation. A second man, aged 47, has also been interviewed under caution as part of our investigation.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area.

We are also carrying out enquiries to establish if this incident is linked to other reports of the theft of plant machinery in Hampshire in recent months.

Investigating officer DC Peter Eamer said: “A JCB being used in the early hours of the morning will have caused noise that residents may have been alerted to. Did you see anything suspicious in the area?

“As part of our enquiries we are looking at what preventative measures we can put in place around the security of heavy plant machinery.

"We would like to reassure our communities that we take these types of reports seriously, and encourage anyone who notices suspicious activity near to construction sites or heavy plant machinery in rural areas, to report it to police as this may assist our enquiries."

We’d like to take this opportunity to remind people of the following crime prevention advice:

• Leave vehicles out of sight when not in use.
• Vehicles and plant equipment should be locked when left outside and the keys kept in your possession or in a locked key safe.
• Consider the use of hitch locks, wheel clamps or ground anchors. You may require a combination of the above to meet insurance requirements.