£1.3 million worth of assets stolen from Wolverhampton recycling plant in 'extraordinary' theft

QC Polymer in Bilston had entered administration on October 29, with Hasib Howlader and Nimish Patel of Hudson Weir appointed joint administrators, while G J Wisdom & Co. had been appointed as valuers and auctioneers to oversee the sale of the state-of-the-art plastic bottle recycling plant. 

It featured a comprehensive production line, including the latest innovations in recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) technology, and was scheduled to go up on auction on November 11.

However, on November 6, when Garry Wisdom of G J Wisdom & Co arrived at the factory to prepare for the pre-auction public viewing, he found the building empty, with the entire recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) recycling plant missing, having been stolen, with a value of £1.3 million.

Hasib Howlader of Hudson Weir said: “This is an extraordinary turn of events following the administration of QC polymer. 

"To understand the sheer scale of this robbery GJ Wisdom & Co estimated it would have taken 7 days to dismantle this plant and a fleet of 10 articulated lorries and two cranes to cart it away. 

"The theft was clearly premeditated pre-planned and the factory building showed no signs of forced entry. The West Midlands Police and the Serious Fraud Squad have been informed and are investigating.

“The inventory of the equipment that was removed from the site was highly specialist PET recycling machinery with a limited market for its sale and disposal. 

"So, we are asking the industry to be on the lookout for this type of technology, being offered, second hand, at well below market value.”

The inventory included a Bail Break, Trommel Separator, Cap & Label Separator, Tomra Autosort Bottle Sorter with EM3 Metal Sensor, a Discharge Silo & Twin Bagging Stand, as well as various connecting conveyors, a Boge Direct Air UK Air Compressor with a 1000L Tank & Dryer, two Polymer Preparation Systems and a Dissolved Air Floatation System for water filtration.

Mr Howlader said: “We had secured significant interest in this inventory of specialised recycling equipment, with several interested parties ready to make offers when the sale date arrived on November 11.

"This is a setback in our current plans as our duty as administrators is to realise as much for the business and its assets as we can returning to the creditor's funds for distribution. 

"We are asking the recycling industry to be extra vigilant and to keep an eye open for the type of equipment that has been stolen from QC Polymer."

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "We are investigating after a business burglary in Coseley,

"We were called to Gough Road shortly before 10.30am on November 6 after a large amount of equipment was reported stolen.

"Enquiries are ongoing."