Dorset man due in court for handling stolen good charges

Officers seized items worth around £500,000 during search warrants

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 12th Sep 2024

An East Dorset man's due in court next month, in connection with 16 counts of handling stolen goods.

The 23 year old's been served with a postal requisition to appear before Weymouth Magistrates on October 2nd.

It follows two search warrants, carried out in rural locations in East Dorset back in June.

They uncovered suspected stolen machinery, cash and other property which were all seized and have a collective value of around £500,000.

The searches were part of Operation Hardware - an intelligence led investigation following a suspicious incident in Hampshire, which is alleged to have involved a stolen vehicle from London.

Warrants took place at addresses linked to the driver insured on the vehicle.

An 84-year-old man from East Dorset, who was also previously arrested in connection with the investigation, has been released without charge and will face no further police action.

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