A whopping £10,000 is being offered to the person who can help bring those responsible for the theft and criminal damage of expensive and dangerous machinery to justice.

Last weekend vandals broke into H. E. Services (Plant Hire) Ltd, in Whitewall Road on the Medway City Estate and, amongst other things, drove a £20,000 JCB off a cliff.

The break-in took place some time between Friday April 4 and Tuesday April 8.

The perpetrators stole several JCB heavy construction machines which were kept in a locked former quarry tunnel.

"The machines that were stolen are incredibly dangerous, and the perpetrator’s reckless behaviour has risked both their own and other people’s lives" - Hugh Edeleanu

The machines were then driven into a nearby empty chalk pit and damaged.

One was driven off a cliff, close to nearby houses, after the perpetrators had tied up the controls with cables.

Overall around £65,000 of damage was caused.

The company, which has been in Medway for over 30 years, operates the UK’s largest fleet of specialist excavators for hire in the construction, earth-moving and demolition industries.

Chairman of H.E. Services, Hugh Edeleanu, has now offered a £10,000 reward to anybody who can provide information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.

All the vehicles taken off site and damaged have now been recovered.

Mr Edeleanu set up the company in 1972 and also owns the nearby Diggerland Adventure Park.

He said: “The machines that were stolen are incredibly dangerous, and the perpetrator’s reckless behaviour has risked both their own and other people’s lives.

“We’re carrying out a full investigation and are currently working with the police to find the perpetrators and to bring them to justice”.

If anyone has further information relating to the crime please contact DC Goddard at Kent Police on 01634 792467 or H.E. SERVICES on 0871 227 0707.