A spree of brazen thefts targeting farm vehicles and equipment across West Lothian has prompted Police Scotland to launch an investigation. Multiple incidents over a two week stretch in February have left rural communities on edge, and the pattern suggests an organised effort rather than opportunistic crime.
It started on February 6 when a grey Isuzu pick-up truck was stolen from outside a farm near Carlops Road, Penicuik, at around 12.50am. Three men in dark clothing were spotted in the area. Between February 7 and 10, a grey Polaris was taken from outside a farm near the B718 between Armadale and Blackridge. Then on February 8, a flatbed trailer disappeared from a property on Cricketfield Place, Armadale, and a grey Isuzu truck was seen nearby.
The most significant incident came on the evening of February 17 when an all terrain vehicle, a large trailer, and a small trailer were stolen from outside a hotel on Starlaw Road, Bathgate. Again, three men in dark clothing were observed. The all terrain vehicle and smaller trailer have since been recovered, but the rest remains missing.
Constable Callum Jackson said: “Our enquiries are ongoing and I would ask anyone who was in these areas at these times who saw anything suspicious to get in touch. Similarly, anyone living locally with private CCTV or dash-cam footage which may have captured the thefts should contact us.”
Rural crime in Scotland rarely makes the headlines the way city incidents do, but for farmers and landowners, the loss of expensive machinery is devastating. These are not cheap items. A Polaris alone can cost upwards of ten thousand pounds, and the disruption to working farms that rely on this equipment daily cannot be overstated. Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 0492 of February 8, 2026.