Appeal After Thieves Steal Farming Equipment

Police are hunting thieves who are stealing livestock handling equipment from villages near Market Harborough.

Sheep-related equipment including hurdles, sheering machines, guillotine gates, sheep feeders and weigh scales have been stolen from farms and fields in Clipston, Arthingworth, Marston Trussell and Lamport in the past few weeks.

Officers are urging farmers to security mark such items and for people to report any suspicious activity.

Northamptonshire Police’s Rural Crime Team is also working closely with colleagues from neighbouring forces in a bid to recover the stolen property as they believe it is being moved out of the county quickly.

The items could also be sold on at auction and buyers are  being urged to report anything suspicious, or lots which could be stolen, to police and the auctioneer.

PC Chloe Gillies, said: “Agricultural equipment and vehicles are vital to the running of a farm and we’re doing all we can to help our rural businesses protect themselves.

“A key prevention measure is clearly and permanently marking your possessions, ideally with your surname and postcode. This makes them less attractive to criminals as well as making it more likely that they can be returned to you if they are stolen.

“We work very closely with our colleagues from neighbouring forces, both sharing information and intelligence, to locate and recover property which has been stolen from Northamptonshire or across the county borders.”