Officers from the Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force led various police teams in the execution of a warrant in Odiham as part of a vehicle theft investigation.

With support from specialists such as drone operators, search officers, firearms officers and the dog unit, they carried out enquiries and searches at a site off Farnham Road.

This followed reports in June of a Land Rover and a trailer being stolen on Hayling Island.

It is believed that a group has been stealing vehicles and bringing them back to the Odiham site, with officers visiting the premises as part of the warrant early in the morning on August 5.

Items seized included a suspected stolen digger, three trailers, a quad bike and a number of tools.

The same site was subject to a warrant in 2021, when police seized 29 stolen vehicles including caravans, vans, cars and quad bikes.

Following this week’s warrant, officers arrested four men on suspicion of theft – two of whom were arrested over the border by the Thames Valley Rural Crime Task Force.

They are a 35-year-old from Reading, a 26-year-old from Odiham, a 38-year-old from Reading and a 20-year-old from Tadley. They were conditionally bailed while police continue the investigation.

Sergeant Michael Cork, from the Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force, said: “The proceeds from this type of offending will feed back into organised crime.

“We want to make this a hostile place for rural criminals, and we will continue to carry out proactive warrants and operations to target the people, vehicles and locations we suspect are linked to the offending, and seize stolen property.

“If you have any information, no matter how small, about crime or suspicious activity in your area, please report it to us.”

People can make a report to the police by calling 101 or using the online reporting tool at www.hampshire.police.uk

Alternatively they can call Crimestoppers anonymously and free on 0800 555111 or report anonymously online at crimestoppers-uk.org

People should call 999 if a crime is in progress, or in the event of an emergency.

Members of the Hampshire Rural Crime Partnership DISC system can also use this platform to provide information to the police.

People with a business connection to the rural and wildlife environment may be eligible to be a member of DISC. Email [email protected]