The construction equipment was stolen from Massachusetts, departed from Norfolk, headed to Guinea, and was recovered in Spain.
NORFOLK, VA — On October 15, Virginia State Police (VSP) confirmed that, thanks to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a vehicle originally stolen from Massachusetts, exported via Newark, New Jersey, recovered in Spain, and redelivered to Norfolk. We received 6 pieces of heavy equipment. Hampton Roads Protection (CBP) Officer.
The equipment, which included a 2023 Bobcat skid steer, a Kubota backhoe, two 2018 Bomag drum compactors, two 2019 Genie lifts, and 75 heavy equipment batteries, was stolen from a rental facility in Woburn, Massachusetts. The total value was over 1.5 million yen. 200,000 dollars.
CBP officers were investigating an export container inventory for possible stolen vehicles on a vessel leaving Norfolk on July 5 when they discovered that it had already left Norfolk, had just left Newark and was on its way to Spain. They discovered a ship carrying what was believed to be a mechanical road roller. The final destination is Guinea.
Norfolk CBP officials requested that the vessel be inspected at its next stop in Algeciras, Spain.
On July 29, CBP officers in Algeciras discovered a mechanical road roller, as well as unloaded heavy equipment and batteries, and contacted a rental company in Massachusetts. The rental company then filed a theft report in Massachusetts, and CBP ordered the container redelivered to Norfolk.
On October 15, CBP officers handed over the heavy equipment and batteries to VSP, which ultimately returned them to a rental company in Massachusetts.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
