Dorset Police’s rural crime team has said criminal damage to crops in a field in East Dorset has had a “significant financial impact” on the farmer.

Image: Dorset Police rural crime team

The force is appealing for information after it was discovered that damage had been caused to crops in a field near to Shapwick, East Dorset.

The estimated cost of the damage is around £2,000.

PC Kate Schofield, of the rural crime team, said: “This has had a significant financial impact on the farmer during a challenging summer due to the weather.

“I would ask anyone who may have information about the damage caused to please come forward and contact Dorset Police.”

Any one with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55240111570.

Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.

Dorset quad and tractor theft

A quad bike and a blue Ford tractor have been stolen from twoproperties in close proximity to each other in Dorset.

Dorset Police is appealing for information and witnesses with dashcam footage to come forward.

The force received a report on Tuesday, July 23, that between 6:30p.m and 7:00p.m, a red Honda quad bike was seen being driven away towards the A351 from a property in Fancy’s Row in Holton Health.

It was further reported during the morning of Wednesday, July 24, that a blue Ford tractor – which had last been seen at 3:00p.m on Tuesday, July 23 – had been stolen from a property in Sandford Road in Wareham.

Dorset Police believes the two incidents may be linked due to the close proximity of the locations to each other.

Police community support officer Mike Sinnick, of the Dorset Police rural crime team, said: “Due to the close proximity of the locations in which these two vehicles were taken, we believe that these incidents could be linked.

“I am therefore reaching out to residents in those areas to please check their home CCTV and doorbell cameras.

“I would also like to ask motorists with dashcams in their vehicles who were driving in the area at the time of the incident to review their footage and see if they have captured anything that may help us identify the suspects driving the vehicles.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55240112743 in relation to the red quad bike and 55240112723 in relation to the blue Ford tractor.

Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.