But the crane thief didn’t realise the high-tech vehicle was equipped with a satellite tracking system that recorded his every move.
The crane’s owner received an SMS alert on his mobile phone telling him the crane was moving, according to a police statement. He logged onto his computer and tracked the stolen crane down to the A12 motorway heading toward Poland. He called the police, who pulled the crane over two hours later.
The crane thief told police he was given €200 to steal the €1-million crane.