The tractors, two brand new New Holland T7.200 models, were stolen from Keys New Holland premises in November 2012.

They were tracked leaving the area and it is understood that police forces were aware that they were in use in Germany. The exact circumstances surrounding the recovery are unclear at this stage.

They were recovered within the last week on the German farm following extensive work by the Garda Stolen Vehicle Unit and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PNSI), both of which were working with German police forces. The tractors were insured for theft at the time and it is understood that the insurance company will be seeking to recover its losses.

Two secondhand New Holland tractors and an NC dump trailer were also stolen from Armstrong Machinery in Lusk, Co Dublin almost a month later in December 2012. They have not been recovered to date.