Lots of machines stolen, northern Scotland

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2138004722884462&id=100000248660501

Brian is a 'colourful' character, so there may be a back-story to this...

From Brian Macgregor this morning ...
“£100,000worth of equipment missing from our peat bog operation at Moy this morning. Called police and discovered I was through to a control room in South Wales. Tried again and got through to Burnett Rd Police station. Explained I was in a peat bog with no post code and got promise that someone would call me back. After more than one hour I drove down to Burnett rd to find the police officers sent out to investigate were sitting at Daviot wondering what was my post code.Now you do not se this happening on CSI. Gave statement to officers who felt CID might have to be involved, after their report was sent to CID. I am frustrated thinking my diggers etc are heading for export. On my way home I get information saying that my equipment was seen on the back of some wagons owned by COLIN LAWSON ABERDEEN viewed passing Kingussie around 7AM. I report this to reception at Burnett Rd and assured that police are active. I drive home but on the way I get another call from another of our haulage contractors saying my equipment is passing Blackford on Lawson's wagons but that I should tell Police to contact Stirling Police to draw the wagons off at VOSA at Stirling. Back to Burnett Rd where nobody seems interested in my progress until I threaten to communicate to police through Facebook. They then show interest but can't act as quick as that. No the matter would have to go past one of three Sgts on duty. I insist that Sgt George Coleman should not be allowed to be involved as I have a £142K claim against the Chief Constable alleging that Sgt Coleman had exercised malice against me when I was "framed" for stalking. I went home and phoned Colin Lawson where a Kevin Ryan refused to connect me to Colin or even give me Colin's mobile phone number. He refused to give me the mobile numbers for the wagon drivers. He asserted that his firm was acting under instructions from Strathclyde Commercials. I rang Strathclyde and was told that they had agreed to buy the diggers, dumpers four wheel drive tractors etc for £45K but while they had a sales invoice for the equipment they had no Bank details to transfer the cash into.They agreed that it now seems that they were conned by someone and would send me a copy of the sales invoice. The invoice lists the items. 22 tonne Dawoo long reach digger. 8 tonne JCB tracked digger. John Deere telescopic fork lift. Two JCB telescopic fork lifts. Two Muir Hill 4WD tractors. Roadless 115 4WD tractor and a Bowmag towed roller. Strathclyde was paying Colin Lawson £3K for the transport work so I begged Kevin at Lawsons to bring the equipment back and I would pay the transport but again he refused to help. On the invoice was a JCB JS 130 digger which I bought last year for £45K in Cambridge. It seems that when the gang couldnot start it because of its digital security code, every window in the digger was broken. A towed gritter had its draw bar cut by a grinding disc to free the Muir Hill tractor that was joined to it by a pick-up hitch. While Kevin might maintain that his workers were innocent participants in this heist, how did they not suspect that something was wrong with the situation? Plant and heavy equipment being lifted after working hours, after the access barrier to the bog had been cut open for access. Grinders cutting draw bars up and a JCB being wrecked in an act on vandalisim. Still missing is the 8Tonne JCB excavator that was on the sales invoice. Strathclyde reckons the seller must have sold it to someone else but CID figure they can't pursue this missing item till I furnish them with a serial number. I do not have a record of this serial number but I am confident that JCB store in Muir of Ord will have it. Aye cops and solicitors can all find 101 reasons to do nothing. Leaving Burnett Rd tonight I threw down a challenge. I had traced the stolen equipment within four hours, while cops had failed to find a post code. They failed to intercept Lawson's wagons that were transporting the stolen goods to the south. I suggested that I should post the matter on Facebook to see if readers could beat cops in finding the eight tonner. It is a medium sized excavator with wide tracks for working on peat. It has two new collars welded at the base of the main boom and an extension has been added to aid greasing the bottom boom bearing. Inside the rear window there might still be the name of the previous owner JOHN SMITH PLANT HIRE INVERNESS. Feel free to post information on here or phone me 07860939064, in confidence”
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
That's shocking:eek:

No, this is the Scottish Highlands and I am not in the least bit surprised.

This sort of nonsense should be sorted out by our members of Parliament. They are elected to make the laws and to see that they are enforced. It is their job to see that those in authority do the job they are paid to do.

Well done to Highland Mule for speaking out.
 
some years ago I was told that the only time police will give immediate response is if they get a call saying there is a car swerving and driving badly and is possible drunk driving …. and this was told to me by a serving police officer
 

uztrac

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
fakenham-norfolk
some years ago I was told that the only time police will give immediate response is if they get a call saying there is a car swerving and driving badly and is possible drunk driving …. and this was told to me by a serving police officer
Or perhaps you are having a shoot ? and are spotted by a passerby who phones in to 999 saying he has seen people with guns !!!! Then the helicopter will be overhead !!!
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Or perhaps you are having a shoot ? and are spotted by a passerby who phones in to 999 saying he has seen people with guns !!!! Then the helicopter will be overhead !!!

A highly respected local agricultural merchant was put through the ringers by the firearms department. Armed response, weapons seized, premises searched, you name it. His offence? A passer-by had seen him sighting in an air rifle! Guns were returned when they could not find anything wrong. Up north again. They are far too busy doing this sort of thing to catch criminals stealing huge loads transported openly on a major trunk road.
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
Reading through this, it sounds like a repossession.
Or, we are saying that in Scotland, low loaders could pull into your yard, load up all your machinery and tractors, and you would not be able to find anyone to give a monkey's....
 
Last edited:

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Reading through this, it sounds like a repossession.
Or, we are saying that in Scotland, low loaders could pull into your yard, load up all your machinery and tractors, and you would not be able to find anyone to give a monkey's....

Would the OP be going public if it was a simple repossession? Seems to me that he hasn't been able to "find anyone who gives a monkey's"! The law does seem to be applied selectively this far north -- or maybe I'm just cynical.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
For clarity, I'm not Brian, but picked this up from facebook. As I wrote, he is a colourful character so there may well be a backstory of sorts. I have my thoughts, but none I'm prepared to share in print...

Yes, got it now and know who you mean. For some reason, I also thought he was in Caithness!

Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick! At least he is prepared to stand up for himself and I've got to admire that. Colourful is the word!:)
 

Cowcalf

Member
heard there was a Colin Lawson low loader in the highlands trying to collect 2 D6 bulldozers had them on the trailer until the foreman said your not going anywhere till I have authority, both D6 put off trailer and truck gone so make of that what you wish
Lawson and Strathclyde appear to be connected
 

Brian MacGregor

New Member
Seven weeks on, after the heist, Detective Sgt Michael Cosh Inverness CID has still failed to interview Colin Lawson's drivers. Last night Channel 4 Dispatches reported how around 65% of vehicle thefts go undetected, screened out of the system. In the Moy case. We know how a fake invoice was used to instigate the heist. We know who handled the stolen goods. My son-in-law.Strathclyde Commercials and Colin Lawson Transport Aberdeen, and we know that the bulk of the equipment is held in Strathclyde's yard in East Kilbride. Police can't get it released because Strathclyde are insisting that I should pay their ransom of £3K, the price they paid Colin Lawson for transporting the stolen gear. At around 10AM the morning after the heist I phoned Colin Lawson's office informing them that their wagons were passing Blackburn and carrying stolen equipment. Kevin Ryan then alleged it was too late to do anything as the equipment was by that time unloaded in Glasgow. I later discovered the wagons unloaded in East Kilbride and on travelling between Blackburn and East Kilbride I find it takes a whole hour motoring.I now hold Colin Lawson responsible for all my hire costs and replacement costs after 10AM that day. The following Monday someone broke into Strathclyde's yard and torched one of my JCB Telehandlers. We also find that a second Telehandler and a big towed Bomag roller are missing. DS Cosh appears to have done nothing about the missing JCB and roller. I wrote to Fergus Ewing outlining how hopeless the police service is but reply came back from his assistant saying because a crime is involved, he can't comment. Yes a crime is being committed, with police perverting the course of justice, by neglecting the theft of so much equipment. I am not finished with the Fergus office yet. Seems we need to take the law into our own hands to seek justice and to that end a start seems to have been made to influence Colin Lawson to haul the plant back north. Neighbourhood Watch signs have sprung up around Inverness. BETTER WATCH OUT-LAWSON'S ABOUT. I came upon this site by accident this morning as I was trawling for a picture of Colin but I can't find it. It is one of him posing by himself during a vintage wagon run going down the Great Glen. Need it for a "Wanted Notice". Can anybody help. Also need photo of DS Michael Cosh to go up in the Gallery along side PC Sam Leach and Chief Inspector Jennifer MacDonald who were disgraced during the alleged "stalking charge". My £142K claim for damages involved in defending the false stalking case has been on the Chief Constable's desk since May, but what is the hurry? Looks like we now have further prejudice to report.
On another note. Police were involved in a bit of PR here last week playing around with an underwater camera looking for murdered Renee MacRae and her son Andrew in Leanach quarry. I have offered the quarry owners £5K to a charity of their own choice if they will allow me to drain the quarry in order to salvage a 1935 Sentinal steam wagon that's sitting there. It was discovered by police divers searching the quarry back in 1978 when they gave up the search because of rolls of rusting barbed wire being a health hazard. My offer to drain the quarry still stands. Now we just have to hear 101 reasons from police as to how it can't be done.
 

Brian MacGregor

New Member
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2138004722884462&id=100000248660501

Brian is a 'colourful' character, so there may be a back-story to this...

From Brian Macgregor this morning ...
“£100,000worth of equipment missing from our peat bog operation at Moy this morning. Called police and discovered I was through to a control room in South Wales. Tried again and got through to Burnett Rd Police station. Explained I was in a peat bog with no post code and got promise that someone would call me back. After more than one hour I drove down to Burnett rd to find the police officers sent out to investigate were sitting at Daviot wondering what was my post code.Now you do not se this happening on CSI. Gave statement to officers who felt CID might have to be involved, after their report was sent to CID. I am frustrated thinking my diggers etc are heading for export. On my way home I get information saying that my equipment was seen on the back of some wagons owned by COLIN LAWSON ABERDEEN viewed passing Kingussie around 7AM. I report this to reception at Burnett Rd and assured that police are active. I drive home but on the way I get another call from another of our haulage contractors saying my equipment is passing Blackford on Lawson's wagons but that I should tell Police to contact Stirling Police to draw the wagons off at VOSA at Stirling. Back to Burnett Rd where nobody seems interested in my progress until I threaten to communicate to police through Facebook. They then show interest but can't act as quick as that. No the matter would have to go past one of three Sgts on duty. I insist that Sgt George Coleman should not be allowed to be involved as I have a £142K claim against the Chief Constable alleging that Sgt Coleman had exercised malice against me when I was "framed" for stalking. I went home and phoned Colin Lawson where a Kevin Ryan refused to connect me to Colin or even give me Colin's mobile phone number. He refused to give me the mobile numbers for the wagon drivers. He asserted that his firm was acting under instructions from Strathclyde Commercials. I rang Strathclyde and was told that they had agreed to buy the diggers, dumpers four wheel drive tractors etc for £45K but while they had a sales invoice for the equipment they had no Bank details to transfer the cash into.They agreed that it now seems that they were conned by someone and would send me a copy of the sales invoice. The invoice lists the items. 22 tonne Dawoo long reach digger. 8 tonne JCB tracked digger. John Deere telescopic fork lift. Two JCB telescopic fork lifts. Two Muir Hill 4WD tractors. Roadless 115 4WD tractor and a Bowmag towed roller. Strathclyde was paying Colin Lawson £3K for the transport work so I begged Kevin at Lawsons to bring the equipment back and I would pay the transport but again he refused to help. On the invoice was a JCB JS 130 digger which I bought last year for £45K in Cambridge. It seems that when the gang couldnot start it because of its digital security code, every window in the digger was broken. A towed gritter had its draw bar cut by a grinding disc to free the Muir Hill tractor that was joined to it by a pick-up hitch. While Kevin might maintain that his workers were innocent participants in this heist, how did they not suspect that something was wrong with the situation? Plant and heavy equipment being lifted after working hours, after the access barrier to the bog had been cut open for access. Grinders cutting draw bars up and a JCB being wrecked in an act on vandalisim. Still missing is the 8Tonne JCB excavator that was on the sales invoice. Strathclyde reckons the seller must have sold it to someone else but CID figure they can't pursue this missing item till I furnish them with a serial number. I do not have a record of this serial number but I am confident that JCB store in Muir of Ord will have it. Aye cops and solicitors can all find 101 reasons to do nothing. Leaving Burnett Rd tonight I threw down a challenge. I had traced the stolen equipment within four hours, while cops had failed to find a post code. They failed to intercept Lawson's wagons that were transporting the stolen goods to the south. I suggested that I should post the matter on Facebook to see if readers could beat cops in finding the eight tonner. It is a medium sized excavator with wide tracks for working on peat. It has two new collars welded at the base of the main boom and an extension has been added to aid greasing the bottom boom bearing. Inside the rear window there might still be the name of the previous owner JOHN SMITH PLANT HIRE INVERNESS. Feel free to post information on here or phone me 07860939064, in confidence”
Next day, about 8 PM, I got a phone call from a Facebook follower with a Post Code where I might find the eight tonner. I sent a relative up to Glasgow and confirmed it was my digger. Apparently it was being towed on a three axle car trailer when a wheel had come off. But as police were being alerted my relative could hear £1,500 worth of cab glass being broken. Police lifted it that night for fear of it being torched. Another £1,500 for lifting and storage. Next morning, 8.30 AM, I got a phone call from a guy in Newtonmore telling me that our 22 tonne long reach Daewoo was sitting in a lay-by on the old A9 going into Dalwhinnie. Key in ignition and no finger prints, so we got it home by 5.30PM. but other equipment still remains stolen or held to ransom by Strathclyde Commercials.
 

Brian MacGregor

New Member

Brian MacGregor

New Member
heard there was a Colin Lawson low loader in the highlands trying to collect 2 D6 bulldozers had them on the trailer until the foreman said your not going anywhere till I have authority, both D6 put off trailer and truck gone so make of that what you wish
Lawson and Strathclyde appear to be connected
Story goes that two John Deere tractors went missing that same week end from same area. No wonder Neighborhood Watch are hanging up signs. BETTER WATCH OUT-LAWSON'S ABOUT
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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