Exmouth police have given themselves a pat on the back after reuniting an East Devon business with its stolen mobile sauna found 85 miles away in Wiltshire.
The mobile sauna had been on loan to Darts Farm, at Clyst St George, when it was stolen at the end of May and later discovered in Trowbridge.
Police said CCTV footage showed two men in a van forced the mobile sauna’s hitch lock to tow it away.
Exmouth police said the property was recovered and returned as a result of enquiries by the town’s neighbourhood team following a public appeal for information gathering momentum online.
A Darts Farm spokesperson praised the community rallying round to help, saying staff were ‘completely overwhelmed’ by the support.
The spokesperson added: “Without their help, there is genuinely no chance we would have it back here on the farm.”
The stolen sauna was found around 85 miles away in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Image: D&C Police.
Exmouth police team said it worked with the force’s intelligence and crime investigation units, plus Wiltshire police, to locate the stolen property.
Police said the van used to tow away the sauna had also been located and seized.
Inspector Mat Helm, at Exmouth police station, said: “This positive outcome highlights the strength of partnership working across our policing teams and with neighbouring forces.
“Our neighbourhood officers worked closely with colleagues in our crime management investigation team and intelligence team to develop lines of enquiry and with Wiltshire police to locate the stolen sauna.”
He added: “We are also extremely grateful for the support of the public. Information shared with us, as well as the wide circulation of the appeal on social media, played an important role in helping us progress enquiries quickly.
“Outcomes like this demonstrate how cooperation between the police and our communities can make a real difference.”
Devon and Cornwall Police said CCTV footage shared on social media showed two men arriving in a van before forcing the hitch lock and towing the wooden sauna from the premises.
A force spokesperson said: “Following an appeal for information, which was widely shared by members of the public, officers conducted enquiries to locate the stolen property.”
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