Thousands of pounds worth of specialist agricultural equipment has been stolen from a North Yorkshire farm.
Police are appealing to rural residents for information about the theft of high-value sheep farming equipment from a Ryedale farm.
Sometime between Friday 4 and Monday 7 September 2020, offenders stole a mobile sheep handling system and a sheep weigher from a farm near Hovingham.
Specialist rural crime officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce are investigating the theft.
The two items – a Rappa mobile sheep yard and a Ritchie Draft Pro weigher – are worth a total of more than £9,000.
North Yorkshire Police said the sheep handling system was not packed up, so the offenders would have likely had some knowledge of the system to be able to remove it.
The cost of rural crime in the UK has risen to £54 million as criminal gangs continue to target farm machinery and livestock.
The theft of high-value agricultural equipment has a significant impact on rural businesses.
North Yorkshire Police officers are asking anyone with information about this theft to get in touch.
Anyone who can assist is asked to contact the force's Rural Taskforce on 101 or by email mark.atkinson@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. Quote reference number 12200156817.
