down into the ground. They are designed for digging long, narrow trenches rather than excavating holes or large, deep foundations, and we often hire them to farmers who use them to clear their ditches. They also have a small shovel under the cab at the front, and so can be used like a very small bulldozer.’
‘So good for digging graves,’ Hennessey asked, ‘and also good for filling in of same?’
‘Ideal, in fact some of the larger local authorities have bought them for that purpose. They can do in less than an hour what a gravedigger would take a working day to do.’
‘We have an interest in a hole about three feet wide and up to six feet deep.’
‘So, a grave.’ Bateman raised his eyebrows. ‘You were not joking?’
‘Nope.’ Hennessey retained a serious expression. ‘Not joking at all. Police inquiries rarely are a laughing matter. You will shortly hear about it in the regional news bulletins and read about it in the press. I dare say it will be the talk of the local pubs this evening.’
‘I see. Well I live to the north of York so I won’t hear anything in the pubs . . . but yes, three feet wide, six feet deep . . . that size hole is well within the capacity of that type of machine, the Bobcat 322.’
‘So what can you tell us about the other vehicles hired out about that time, particularly on that same day?’
Bateman leaned forward and read the ledger. ‘All larger types . . . scoopers, the ones used to lift grain into the back of bulk-carrying lorries, as I mentioned earlier . . . just the right time of year to hire those things out to the agricultural sector.’
‘So the cash hire stands out?’
‘Yes, yes, it does; not only is it the method of payment which makes it stand out but it is not the sort of machine we would hire to farmers in September.’ Bateman leaned back in his chair. ‘It’s a bit too close to harvest time for ditching.’
Hennessey sensed the beginning of a lead in the investigation. ‘And the hire charge is what you would expect, not unduly inexpensive or unduly expensive?’
‘No, it’s about right.’ Again Bateman consulted the ledger and turned the page back. ‘Look, here is a similar machine . . . a Bobcat 322, hired out in the previous March . . . that would be for clearing ditches . . . and the fee is the same, but . . . but you know there would be a huge cash deposit involved, so much more money would be involved than appears here in the ledger.’
‘There would?’
‘Oh yes, take it from me, gentlemen, take it from me.’ Bateman smiled. ‘It is a necessary insurance against theft.’
‘Theft of plant?’ Yellich confirmed.
‘Yes,’ Bateman explained, ‘plant, you see, is in great demand and it is very expensive, with a long waiting list for new stuff, and about that time, just as we took over the business, there was a spate of plant thefts.’
‘Plant thefts as well . . .?’
‘As well.’
‘It’s just that one of my officers interviewed a retired police officer who reported that thirty years ago there was a spate of car thefts, hence my comment of “as well”,’ Hennessey explained. ‘I doubt they would have been linked.’
‘Doubt it too.’ Bateman nodded. ‘Plant theft tends to involve organized crime, not teenagers looking for kicks. People . . . gangs would hire plant and just didn’t return it, even when they left a deposit up to the value of a replacement machine because they could sell it for more than its value, even its value when brand new, because builders, especially overseas builders, will pay more than the list price of an earth mover if they can have it in a few days’ time, rather than wait eighteen months for a new one.’
‘I see,’ Hennessey replied quietly, ‘that explains a lot.’
‘Yes, and it helps the thieves that plant is very easy to conceal,’ Bateman added. ‘Unlike stolen cars it is rarely driven on the public highway and when it is it is often only for a very short distance. Usually
‘So good for digging graves,’ Hennessey asked, ‘and also good for filling in of same?’
‘Ideal, in fact some of the larger local authorities have bought them for that purpose. They can do in less than an hour what a gravedigger would take a working day to do.’
‘We have an interest in a hole about three feet wide and up to six feet deep.’
‘So, a grave.’ Bateman raised his eyebrows. ‘You were not joking?’
‘Nope.’ Hennessey retained a serious expression. ‘Not joking at all. Police inquiries rarely are a laughing matter. You will shortly hear about it in the regional news bulletins and read about it in the press. I dare say it will be the talk of the local pubs this evening.’
‘I see. Well I live to the north of York so I won’t hear anything in the pubs . . . but yes, three feet wide, six feet deep . . . that size hole is well within the capacity of that type of machine, the Bobcat 322.’
‘So what can you tell us about the other vehicles hired out about that time, particularly on that same day?’
Bateman leaned forward and read the ledger. ‘All larger types . . . scoopers, the ones used to lift grain into the back of bulk-carrying lorries, as I mentioned earlier . . . just the right time of year to hire those things out to the agricultural sector.’
‘So the cash hire stands out?’
‘Yes, yes, it does; not only is it the method of payment which makes it stand out but it is not the sort of machine we would hire to farmers in September.’ Bateman leaned back in his chair. ‘It’s a bit too close to harvest time for ditching.’
Hennessey sensed the beginning of a lead in the investigation. ‘And the hire charge is what you would expect, not unduly inexpensive or unduly expensive?’
‘No, it’s about right.’ Again Bateman consulted the ledger and turned the page back. ‘Look, here is a similar machine . . . a Bobcat 322, hired out in the previous March . . . that would be for clearing ditches . . . and the fee is the same, but . . . but you know there would be a huge cash deposit involved, so much more money would be involved than appears here in the ledger.’
‘There would?’
‘Oh yes, take it from me, gentlemen, take it from me.’ Bateman smiled. ‘It is a necessary insurance against theft.’
‘Theft of plant?’ Yellich confirmed.
‘Yes,’ Bateman explained, ‘plant, you see, is in great demand and it is very expensive, with a long waiting list for new stuff, and about that time, just as we took over the business, there was a spate of plant thefts.’
‘Plant thefts as well . . .?’
‘As well.’
‘It’s just that one of my officers interviewed a retired police officer who reported that thirty years ago there was a spate of car thefts, hence my comment of “as well”,’ Hennessey explained. ‘I doubt they would have been linked.’
‘Doubt it too.’ Bateman nodded. ‘Plant theft tends to involve organized crime, not teenagers looking for kicks. People . . . gangs would hire plant and just didn’t return it, even when they left a deposit up to the value of a replacement machine because they could sell it for more than its value, even its value when brand new, because builders, especially overseas builders, will pay more than the list price of an earth mover if they can have it in a few days’ time, rather than wait eighteen months for a new one.’
‘I see,’ Hennessey replied quietly, ‘that explains a lot.’
‘Yes, and it helps the thieves that plant is very easy to conceal,’ Bateman added. ‘Unlike stolen cars it is rarely driven on the public highway and when it is it is often only for a very short distance. Usually
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