A tractor and baler that was stolen from a Co. Fermanagh farm has been returned to its owner just in time for an opportunity to make hay.
It is believed that the theft occurred sometime between 8:00p.m on Monday (August 19) and 8:00a.m on Tuesday (August 20), the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.
In a post on Facebook, Olive Thornton said the red International 865 tractor and blue New Holland 274 baler belonged to her father Derek, who “loved this tractor and was very proud of his square baler”.
However, in her most recent post on Friday, August 30, Thornton informed the public that the tractor had been returned to her father.
“With the help of the general public, PSNI and Garda Sìochàna this has now been recovered and returned to himself,” she said.
Thornton thanked all those who shared her post that highlighted the theft.
She added that while her father is “a happy man this week,” he is “waiting on hay weather now”.
Meanwhile, a quad bike was stolen from a farm in Co. Monaghan recently, and investigations are confirmed to be ongoing.
Gardaí confirmed to Agriland that they are “aware of the theft of a quad bike from a farm premises in Knockballyroney area of Scotstown.
The theft is believed to have occurred between 11:00p.m on Thursday, August 22 and 7:00a.m on Friday, August 23.
The quad that was stolen is a red Suzuki Kingquad 500AXI.
Gardaí stated that no arrests have been made and that investigations are ongoing.
The cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland fell by 21.3% last year to an estimated £2 million, according to NFU Mutual’s new rural crime report.
The cost of rural crime across the UK rose to £52.8 million, up from £50.6 million in 2022, with GPS unit thefts rising by 137% to £4.2 million.
Although the cost of rural crime in Northern Ireland fell, NFU Mutual has warned that the increasing organisation and sophistication of criminals has seen high-value equipment in the countryside targeted by thieves.
Quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were also top targets for rural thieves, with thefts up 9% to an estimated £3.2 million in claim costs in the UK reported to NFU Mutual last year.
