Over £100,000 in machinery and copper stolen in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
Thieves have stolen a JCB telehandler, welding equipment and large amounts of copper from an agricultural manufacturer's property in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The owner estimates losses and damage at over £100,000 and urges farmers to stay vigilant.
A property near Ballymena in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, has been raided by thieves who stole machinery and stripped out copper. The site, in the Granagh Road area of Cullybackey, belongs to a local agricultural manufacturer and was being refurbished as part of its expansion plans. The owner puts losses and damage at more than £100,000 and says the facility is now inoperable. The owner is urging other farmers and rural businesses to be especially vigilant.
What was taken
The thieves took a JCB 530-70 telehandler, industrial machinery, welding equipment and a significant quantity of copper, and caused extensive damage to buildings and equipment. The owner believes the theft happened between Friday, October 9 and Sunday, October 11, though the exact timing has not been established.
According to the Northern Ireland police, the intruders cut locks on several gates, forced their way into buildings and left by ramming security doors. Inside, they appear to have systematically targeted valuable machinery and equipment containing copper. A transformer weighing about 500kg was cut open and dismantled, other electrical equipment was stripped, and floors and underground ducts were dug up. Welding machines made by Panasonic, Kemper, Fronius and Yaskawa were also removed, including four red Fronius units.
A prepared operation
The thieves had a key matching the telehandler, which is valued at about £15,000. A second excavator suffered serious electrical damage in a failed attempt to start it. Evidence at the scene shows a 12V caravan battery was used to start the machines. Police believe the incident was more than an opportunistic theft.
The telehandler weighs 8t, so moving it would require a lorry with loading ramps. It may since have left the area, possibly through a port or to the south of Ireland.
Appeal for information
The owner is asking people in Cullybackey, Ballymena and nearby villages to check CCTV, dashcam or farmyard footage for a lorry or low-loader carrying a yellow, older-model JCB 530-70 after October 9. A £4,000 reward is proposed for information leading to recovery of the machinery and a conviction. Information can be given to the Police Service of Northern Ireland on 101, quoting reference 323 of 20/10/26. The public is asked not to approach anyone they suspect of involvement.
