Essex thieves jailed for £380,000 GPS farm thefts

Two men who stole global positioning system (GPS) receiver domes and guidance systems from farm machinery and other technical equipment from farms in Essex are behind bars.

Aidas Cesna, 28, and Gintaras Jankauskas, 30, both admitted conspiring to steal equipment valued at about £380,000 from agricultural vehicles at 13 farms and estates across Essex between 28 September and 27 October 2021. 

Chelmsford Crown Court heard that police officers were able to place both Cesna and Jankauskas at the scene of 14 thefts of technical equipment from combine harvesters, tractors and sprayers across Essex.

See also: Long winter nights bring rural crime warning for farmers

Equipment stolen included GPS equipment, navigation systems and satellite receivers, computer screens and control boxes.

Ashley Petchey, a senior prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Cesna and Jankauskas carried out a spree of thefts and took more than £350,000 worth of equipment over a few days. 

“Thefts like these have been terrorising rural communities up and down the country, causing a huge financial loss to hard-working farmers.

“Equipment is not straightforward to replace and, often, machines are heavily damaged in the process, leaving farmers without the essential tools they need to do their job.”

Gintaras Jankauskas © Essex Police.

Costly delays

PC Samantha Smith, of Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team, investigated the thefts.

“Theft of GPS equipment hits our farmers hard. Global positioning systems are a critical part of modern farming and cost thousands of pounds to replace,” she said.

“Then there are the additional costs and time out of operation required to repair the damage caused by thieves.

“So, thefts can cause significant harm and disruption to farm businesses, particularly when delays can prove extremely costly for farmers bringing in their harvest.”

Jankauskas was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court, on Tuesday 15 November. He was given three years and 10 months in prison for conspiring to steal farm equipment.

The court also made a deprivation order for his car and he was ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

Cesna was jailed for three years in July at Chester Crown Court for the same offence.

He was also jailed for a further one year and six months for committing a burglary, two thefts, and theft from a motor vehicle on farms and estates in Cheshire between 10 and 14 February this year.

PC Samantha Smith © Essex Police