At TSA, we remain firmly committed to supporting our members and leading efforts to address this issue. Over the past decade, we have played a central role in driving the national response to survey equipment theft, and we are pleased to share positive progress, while recognising there is still a way to go.

Strengthening the national response

Building on almost a decade of evidence gathering with SmartWater/DeterTech, in 2025 TSA started to directly support the work of the National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team (NCATT), a specialist operational police unit established in 2023.

NCATT is unique as the UK’s only fully industry-funded specialist police unit dedicated to tackling Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs) involved in the theft of construction and agricultural equipment. Bringing together officers from across the country with expertise in rural crime and equipment theft, the team is small but highly effective.

In a relatively short time, NCATT has:

• Improved coordination between police forces nationwide
• Enhanced intelligence sharing across regions and sectors
• Delivered operational support and training
• Conducted investigations into high-value machinery theft
• Built strong partnerships with industry and European law enforcement

Importantly, NCATT has been working directly with TSA members, not only supporting individual cases of theft but also helping to unite resources across the UK to actively pursue organised crime gangs.

Real progress with a persistent challenge

There is encouraging news. NCATT and local police teams have achieved record-breaking seizures of stolen equipment, alongside arrests and significant cash recoveries across the UK. These outcomes demonstrate that coordinated, intelligence-led policing is making a real difference.

However, the national and international illicit demand for machinery remains high and continues to drive organised criminal activity, meaning that while enforcement efforts are delivering results, the risk of thefts remains.

A collaborative approach

The work of NCATT highlights the importance of a three-pronged approach:

• Prevention: strengthening security and awareness
• Enforcement: targeting and disrupting organised crime
• Collaboration: sharing intelligence and working together

By focusing on these areas, NCATT plays a critical role in safeguarding our sector, protecting vital infrastructure, and supporting the hardworking businesses that keep projects moving across the UK.

What to do if theft occurs

If you experience theft, acting quickly and following the correct process is essential to maximise the chances of recovery:

1. Report the theft immediately

Report the theft to the police force where the incident occurred. This is critical as only the relevant force can formally investigate and circulate the equipment as stolen on police systems. If your equipment has live tracking and you are not receiving a timely response, contact NCATT immediately.

2. Notify key partners

Email the equipment manufacturer and NCATT via ncatt@northumbria.police.uk to ensure NCATT is aware and can assist and the manufacturer can flag the equipment on their systems. For Leica Geosystems equipment, also notify uk.support@leica-geosystems.com

3. Provide full details

Use the subject line: “Survey Theft Notification” and include:

• Make and model
• Serial number
• Approximate value
• Date of theft
• Location of theft
• Police crime reference number

Please note that online reporting reference numbers cannot be acted upon until a formal crime number is issued by the police.

Moving forward together

While the challenge of survey equipment theft is far from over, the progress being made through collaboration with NCATT is significant and encouraging. By continuing to work together we are building a stronger, more resilient response.

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We are delighted to report that we have seen some successes when it comes to the recovery of stolen items. It was also very pleasing to see the theft of survey equipment being included in the Theft of Tools Trade Bill debate in the House of Commons earlier in the summer.

Our CEO Rachel Tyrrell has also been in correspondence regarding addressing this challenge with Shadow Cabinet Minister Louie French, Member of Parliament for Old Bexley and Sidcup, with the promise of a meeting with him and the lead officer in the Met Police who is working on the issue. Mr French is leading the charge to make sentences tougher for those who steal essential equipment and it is really encouraging to see this problem being taken seriously at parliamentary level.

The Survey Association is also looking to formally support the work of NCATT (National Construction and Agriculture Theft Team), which is run by Northumbria Police. NCATT  has already spoken at various TSA events and has supported individual survey companies in the immediate aftermath of equipment theft too. 

In addition to all this work being carried out behind the scenes, it is vitally important that all thefts or attempted thefts are reported. This is so that the accurate weight of evidence can be brought to unlock funding and effective action.

Reporting a crime could not be easier, as TSA’s website has a Report a Theft button on the dedicated Equipment Theft page, which automatically generates all the prompts to fill in all the required information that the police require, making it effective and efficient. You can even report historic thefts in this way too.

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We forged a professional relationship with DeterTech, or SmartWater as it was known then, in 2018. We continue to work with this organisation to see what can be done to improve the situation. DeterTech’s presentation to members at our AGM held at Silverstone earlier in the year provided some stark reminders of just how daring these organised gangs of thieves can be, as well as some useful updates on how reporting thefts really does make a difference. The reports build up a picture of what is being stolen and from where, often linking with crimes in other sectors and providing a deeper understanding of criminal gangs’ activities on a larger scale.

It was heartening to hear of a recent success story from TSA members Survey Solutions and Korec of stolen equipment being recovered. Read more about this HERE.

In response to discussions with members, we held an open forum on equipment theft in April, which was attended by Superintendent Andy Huddleston from NCATT (National Construction & Agriculture Theft Team). It was really useful to have an expert of Andy’s calibre on hand to provide us with an update and respond to members’ searching questions.

What should you do in the event of equipment theft?

If you experience equipment theft, report it as soon as you possibly can to the police, your insurance company, the manufacturer, DeterTech (donotreplyanalysts@smartwater.com) and NCATT (ncatt@northumbria.police.uk). Please think carefully before sharing details and thoughts on theft on social media, as this can provide criminals with an easy way to find out information that should remain confidential.

Personal safety is, of course, of paramount importance too. So far, Chris Morris of CPD Security Training has delivered two sessions on situational awareness training to our members and we are planning another one too. Don’t forget that, in the meantime, Chris can be contacted to arrange further sessions for your company too. Contact him on 0774 009 1010 or email chris.morris@cpdsecuritytraining.co.uk. 

Keep up to date with all the events we organise for members here https://www.gsa-uk.org.uk/events/.

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Increasingly, criminal gangs are targeting building and transport construction sites to steal expensive surveying tools.

SmartWater has been working with TSA for the past two years, mapping organised criminal gangs targeting survey equipment nationally and providing support to police investigations. 

Members of TSA report their crime data to SmartWater’s team of experienced Intelligence Analysts study the information and build up informed patterns of criminality, but this is just one part of the work they do.

The construction industry is similarly targeted by the same criminal gangs. When businesses lose valuable equipment projects are seriously disrupted and livelihoods lost.

SmartWater proactively use the data to build as full an intelligence picture as possible, helping to pinpoint the activity of Organised Crime Groups. 

In support of the partnership between The Survey Association, equipment manufacturers and the police, SmartWater urges those in the construction industry suffering high value equipment theft to report their crime incidents to donotreplyanalysts@smartwater.com. 

TSA President, Adam Bradley says: “It is vital that TSA Members, and those in the wider construction industry impacted by theft, continue to provide SmartWater with the data needed to disrupt organised criminal activity. Reporting every incident of theft and attempted theft to SmartWater builds the evidence required to make arrests and recover stolen equipment.”

Adds SmartWater’s CEO Phil Cleary: “SmartWater is making it much harder for criminal gangs to get away with targeting surveyors. As well as continuing our partnership with TSA, we are also working directly with the three major manufacturers of surveying tools – as well as police forces across the UK.”

“Stolen equipment be easily identified, enabling legal cases to be brought against criminal gangs and our new CIAP centre is helping to prevent thefts happening in the first place by providing intelligence to clients.”

SmartWater is currently the only forensic system compliant with the HO Forensic Science Regulators Code of Practice and therefore the only solution currently admissible in court.

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TSA seminar at GEOBusiness highlights the need to report every incident 

Manufacturers, insurers, security experts and crime fighting professionals, brought together by The Survey Association (TSA), are calling on all owners of survey equipment to report every incident of instrument theft, regardless of whether they are TSA members.  

An agreement between TSA and SmartWater, sponsored by the leading manufacturers already allows all survey companies to report full details of equipment theft via a dedicated portal, but more needs to be done they say. https://www.gsa-uk.org.uk/equipment-theft/

While the number of incidents logged by SmartWater in the last 12 months was 58, the theft data from just one of the manufacturers in the same period was in excess of several hundred, indicating a wide gap in the reporting of theft and a further need to better educate customers.  

SmartWater analysts and the police rely on comprehensive data to identify crime hot spots and mount operations that will disrupt organised criminal activity and recover stolen property

TSA Secretary General Rachel Tyrrell said, “The discussion was very constructive and as one delegate suggested, all survey businesses should have a clearly defined theft reporting process as company policy. This should involve SmartWater, the police, the manufacturers and insurers to ensure the correct and most helpful flow of information.”

Representatives from Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble at the seminar outlined the different tracking devices, immobilisers and pin code systems developed to make instruments less attractive to thieves.

Tracking systems are proving effective, assisting the police to recover stolen equipment and apprehend criminals, although one manufacturer reported that customer take-up is at present only 20 per cent, despite recent successes.

Delegates also heard that pin codes have only been activated by less than 10 per cent of customers.

Seminar chairman and TSA Council member Oliver Viney commented, “This is a wake-up call for the whole surveying profession. Insurance premiums and excesses are rising, and it is a concern that only a handful of underwriters are offering policies that are fit for purpose.”  

“We are keen to spread the message that you don’t have to be a TSA member to report equipment theft  via the portal on our website. It is our responsibility as users to do as much as we can to deter thieves by using the protective technology available and provide the flow of quality intelligence that leads to arrests.”

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