QUICK thinking members of the public have been praised for their help in tracing a stolen digger and lorry.
It was feared the vehicles had been taken from a property near the Fermanagh Tyrone border for future involvement in criminal activity, in light of a spate of ATM robberies sweeping across the North. The vehicles owned by Campbell Contracts, Tempo, were removed from a property near Augher on Sunday last.
Following reports of the theft public responded to a social media appeal for help in tracing the vehicles whereabouts. Grainne Quinn from Campbell Contracts expressed the family’s thanks to those who helped in efforts to recover the lorry and digger.
“Thanks to the power of social media, and good helpful people we have now recovered the lorry and digger in a forestry in Co Antrim. On Sunday members of the public and local businesses went out of their way to check CCTV footage and help us trace the route the lorry and digger took from where it was stolen outside Augher through to Co Antrim.
“It could have possibly been lined up for another ATM robbery or anything so we’re very grateful to everyone who helped us out in any way over the weekend. We are very glad to have our machines back in their rightful place.”
Councillor Mary Garrity (pictured) said incidents where “expensive machinery is either damaged or stolen” has the potential to have a detrimental impact on a firm’s future. She added that the family are ‘very highly respected’ and the roadworks recently carried out on Enniskillen Main Street, ‘weeks ahead of schedule’ was a “testament to their capabilities.”
Cllr Garrity also spoke of the recent ATM thefts, urging locals to exercise vigilance.
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“This sort of activity, taking of diggers or damaging ATM’s has a huge impact on villages and may mean ATMs will be taken out,” she warned.
“I would advise everyone to be on the look out for suspicious activity and to work with the police to minimise this as best we can.”
Commenting on the incident a police spokesman confirmed a report of a theft of a lorry carrying a digger had been received on Sunday 7 April.
“The red Volvo lorry and red Komatsu digger were reported stolen at around 4.45pm and both were recovered later on Sunday evening at Tardree Forest near Antrim,” they added.
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