An Essex man is to stand trial over the theft of a high-value piece of farm machinery in Norfolk.

A Manitou telehandler, valued at £50,000, was stolen between July 17 and 22 last year from a site in Thetford. 

Teddy Redwood, 27, of Canvey Island, pleaded not guilty to theft at Norwich Crown Court. He also denied criminal damage to metal gates and a fence post.

The court was told he disputed evidence from a bottle linking him to the theft saying he “travelled all over the country”. 

He was given conditional bail until a trial on March 12 next year.

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Manitou telehandlers are frequently a target for organised gangs with farmers warned to be extra vigilant over security measures around the expensive equipment.

A common tactic used by the thieves usually involves removing the telehandler from the farmyard under the cover of darkness and hiding it in a nearby location for a few days to see if it contains a tracking device.

All Manitou telehandlers less than three years old are likely to have a built-in GPS tracker.