The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in Fermanagh are appealing for information after a number of items, including a quad and a scrambler were stolen from a farm shed.
The theft occurred overnight on Wednesday, August 7 when a farm shed on the Trillick Road, Ballinamallard was broken into and a number of items were stolen.
These items included a white Banshee quad, a yellow and black Suzuki scrambler, a Honda petrol power washer and a quad trailer, among other items were taken.
The PSNI have asked if anyone can If you can provide them with any information regarding this burglary to contact 101 and quote serial number 628 of 08/08/2024.
Meanwhile, police in Antrim are investigating a theft of farm equipment from the Templepatrick area which occurred between 10:00p.m on Wednesday, August 7 and 7:00a.m on Thursday, August 8.
For this theft in Antrim, the PSNI are asking those with any information to contact police quoting reference number 285 of August 8, 2024.
Stolen farm equipment
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has today (Friday, August 9) warned that GPS equipment on farm machinery in Northern Ireland is being “targeted” by thieves.
UFU legislation chair, David McCracken, said: “GPS equipment is valuable and as more farmers are using this technology to help guide farm machinery such as tractors and combine harvesters, rural thieves are being selective with the farms and agricultural dealerships they are targeting.
“The summer is busy in the farming calendar with harvest, silage and preparing land for winter fodder.
“The theft of GPS kits hinders farming operations as well as creating additional pressures for farming families.”
McCracken said intelligence shows offenders are willing to travel the “length and breadth” of Northern Ireland to steal GPS kits.
“They then seek buyers overseas ready to buy what equipment that has clearly been stolen,” he added.
The cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland fell by 21.3% last year to an estimated £2 million, according to NFU Mutual’s latest rural crime report.
However, the cost of GPS unit thefts rose by 137% to £4.2 million.
