Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s rural crime action team is urging farmers to be extra vigilant following reports of sheep across the county having been attacked and stolen.
The rural crime team detailed today (Wednesday, December 7) said that some animals had been killed in fields and had their skins left behind.
Over the past couple of weeks, 25 lamb thefts have been reported from fields in Burrough Green and Bullingham in east Cambridgeshire.
PC Scott Giles for Cambridgeshire’s rural crime action team is urging farmers to be extra cautious and to keep a close eye on their stock numbers.
“Sheep theft is increasing across the country,” he said.
“We’re urging farmers, and members of the public including hikers and dog walkers, to be extra vigilant of any unusual activity, be it people or vehicles in their local areas, and contact police with any suspicious behaviour.
“We would also like to hear from anyone being offered cheap or unpackaged meat.”
Rural crime
In other rural crime news, a recent cross-border operation saw three suspected thieves admitted into custody.
The suspects were caught following a police-deployed stinger as part of the cross-border initiative, Northumbria Police said on November 28.
The arrests occurred during the latest ‘Operation Checkpoint’ crackdown, which is an ongoing operation aimed at reducing rural crime rates.
As part of the operation, police forces were also joined by rural crime volunteers, a team of more than 50 rural residents who feed directly into on-patrol officers about anything that roused suspicion in their areas.
In total, more than 75 suspicious vehicles were proactively stopped by police during the operation – including a VW Golf that was spotted travelling in the East Denton area of Newcastle.
Officers tracked one car after they suspected it was associated with rural crime and said that the occupants seemed unwilling to pull over.
“As a result, a stinger device was deployed to burst the vehicle’s tyres, with three occupants subsequently fleeing on foot,” Northumbria Police said.
“A short time later, three men were all detained inside a property and arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.”
