Two men have been arrested by the police following a series of on-farm crimes in Cumbria, including theft of agri machinery.
Police received a report from an off-duty officer on the morning of 2 November of a suspicious vehicle carrying two quadbikes.
Officers arrived in the area looking to locate it, with them stopping the vehicle that night on Northside Road, Workington.
A 31-year-old man from Pontefract was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods and remains in police custody.
Officers made a further arrest of a 32-year-old man from Workington on suspicion of burglary, he also remains in custody.
The two quadbikes recovered are believed to be those stolen earlier in the day from farms in the Keswick area.
Detective Inspector Calvin Greaves, from Cumbria Police, said this type of crime "disrupts our communities and adversely affects the local economy".
He called on farmers and landowners to take preventative measures to stop further crimes from occurring.
“It’s important that simple and basic steps are taken to protect your property such as ensuring outbuildings are locked and that tools and machinery are kept out of sight.
“Installing tracking devices to property is also a great security measure and can help significantly within an investigation to locate the property.
"Markings or data tags are also really helpful so we can identify who the items belong to if found," he said.
Farmers have recently been warned that the cost of living crisis could trigger increases in thefts from farms and rural properties this winter.
Farmers should increase security as rises in the prices of diesel, heating oil, fertiliser and machinery make their businesses more attractive targets, NFU Mutual said.
Farm vehicles top the target for thieves with tractors, trailers, quad bikes, pick-ups and Land Rover Defenders at particular risk, the rural insurer warned.
NFU Cumbria County Chairman, Ian Bowness said it was 'clear' that machinery and fuel theft was back on the rise, with farms being targeted.
“Rural crime has huge financial implications for farm businesses, and it also leaves farming families feeling vulnerable, intimidated, and in some cases directly threatened.
"This all comes at a time when the industry is already facing numerous other pressures, not least soaring production costs and challenging weather conditions.
“I’d urge all farmers in the county to take the necessary precautions to prevent machinery theft impacting farm businesses, both financially and emotionally.”
