Livestock rustlers have stolen a flock of 50 sheep from a farm in Staffordshire leading the police to issue a public appeal.
Twenty ewes and 30 lambs were stolen overnight on Wednesday 10 June, Staffordshire Police have said.
The livestock theft incident occurred on a field in the Hollybush Road area of Newborough, near Burton-upon-Trent.
"Overnight on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, there has been 20 Ewes and 30 Lambs stolen from the Hollybush Road area of Newborough," the force said.
"If you saw anything suspicious please get in touch with Staffordshire Police."
The public have been urged to report any information by calling 101 or throughout social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter.
The reference number for the incident is SP-20200611-0316.
It comes as figures show that that livestock worth £3 million were stolen from farms across the country last year.
Large-scale sheep thefts over the past two years have contributed to a 19.4% rise in value since 2017, according to NFU Mutual.
Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said rustlers were getting 'more skilled and organised'.
“We are now regularly getting reports of fifty to a hundred sheep being taken in a single raid and it is devastating for farmers as they deal with the aftermath.”
“As well as causing untold suffering to sheep, which may be in lamb when they are stolen, rustling is causing high levels of anxiety for farmers who have built up their flocks over many years,” she said.
