Six men have been charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to steal, and conspiracy to handle, more than £250,000 worth of plant vehicles from locations in London and the Home Counties.
The arrests followed an investigation instigated by The National Plant & Equipment Register (TER).
Robert Apps, Billy Berman, Paul Granger, Barry Granger, and Barry Granger's father, Barry, have been charged with conspiracy.
Essex Police Crime Squad with the support of TER had carried out a four-month covert police operation into the alleged conspiracy.
A 58-year old Hertford-shire man has been released on police bail until mid-July pending further inquiries.
TER maintains an international database of owned and stolen equipment and provides support to the police and law enforcement agencies with the identification and recovery of stolen equipment on behalf of insurers.
In police operations across the UK earlier this year, TER identified over £250,000 of stolen equipment with a further £250,000 of equipment awaiting examination by TER.
