A THREE and a half tonne JCB loader has been successfully recovered after a check made with The Equipment Register (TER) identified it as having been stolen from the Devon and Cornwall police force area.

Valued at approximately £25,000, the twelve and half metre telescopic handler was flagged as stolen property after a dealer in large plant machinery saw it listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

Upon checking its details with TER, the dealer was informed that the JCB matched a reported theft.

The dealer promptly provided details of the sale to TER who immediately relayed this information to Devon and Cornwall Police, enabling them to instigate a successful recovery operation of the loader.

The case highlights a growing trend of criminals using online marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace, to trade stolen farming and construction trailers and other equipment.

The anonymity offered by these platforms allows thieves to list stolen items with minimal risk of detection, often using fake profiles, untraceable contact details, and deleting listings once a sale is completed to evade authorities.

Earlier this year, TER reported that more than one in 10 horseboxes listed for sale on online marketplaces were either registered as stolen or had tampered identity plates1.

The Equipment Register database currently holds 1.85 million items, including 850,000 trailers and 250,000 horseboxes.

The register also has access to other external databases to help provide a comprehensive history of a vehicle or item.

Treve Jenkyn, the Data Director at TER, said: ‘This case serves as a good example of how critical it is for buyers to verify the legitimacy of machinery and trailers before purchasing.

‘Thanks to the diligence of the dealer and our collaboration with Devon and Cornwall Police, this stolen JCB was successfully recovered for the owner.

‘We urge buyers to always check with TER before making any purchase to help combat the illegal trade of stolen goods.’