Rural Task Force - joint operation at Port of Dover

Stolen vehicles and plant worth more a quarter of a million pounds have been seized during several days of enforcement across the county.

Kent Police’s Rural Task Force were joined by colleagues and partners from the Port of Dover Police and National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team to target suspected thieves at the Port of Dover on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 October 2025.

Officers completed a total of 394 vehicle stop checks resulting in the seizures of a stolen engine, excavator as well as a trailer.

Earlier that week the team also recovered six suspected stolen cars near Gravesend, along with a further trailer and excavator.

The value of items seized in Kent during national vehicle crime intensification week was estimated to be around £350,000. Two men were also arrested during the enforcement.

Police Sergeant Ross Haybourne said: ‘When a vehicle is stolen it means its rightful owners lose the ability to do simple things like get to work, do the school run or go to the supermarket. Insurance premiums increase and stolen vehicles have to be replaced.

‘But on a broader scale, vehicle crime is often associated with wider organised crime which impacts our communities in a number of different and harmful ways.

‘Intensification weeks are great opportunities to coordinate national efforts among partner agencies to tackle vehicle crime but the public and criminals can be assured that officers in Kent carry out this sort of enforcement throughout the year.

‘Those responsible for vehicle crime should know they are being hunted and they will be brought to justice.’