10 tractor batteries stolen from Midlands farm
Police are investigating the theft of 10 tractor batteries from a Staffordshire farm.
The batteries were removed from tractors and other farm machinery at Tan House Farm in Pattingham, near Wolverhampton, south Staffordshire.
They were taken sometime overnight on 30-31 December.
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The thieves used cable cutters to remove the batteries from six tractors, including two vintage Fords.
The thieves used cable cutters to remove the batteries
They also broke into a workshop and took several spare batteries that were on charge.
10 batteries stolen off tractors and other machines at a farm in Pattingham, S.Staffs, overnight 30-31st Dec 2017. Pls be vigilant & report anything suspicious to police. If you have any info please call 101. Thanks.
— Rural&WildlifeCrime (@StaffsPoliceRC) January 1, 2018
Frustrated farmer John Evans told Farmers Weekly: “These people are watching you all the time, aren’t they?
“It was bad enough losing the batteries, but what’s made it worse is that they cut the cables to the starter motors to remove them.
“Some of the cables are on vintage tractors and they will cost us hundreds of pounds to replace.”
The brazen thieves used a wheelbarrow from a horse stable to transport the batteries into a vehicle.
White Transit
Mr Evans, who farms the arable enterprise in partnership with his family, believes a white Transit flat-bed type van seen parked in the area, with chevrons on the back, could be linked to the crime.
He urged local scrap metal dealers to refuse offers of large amounts of tractor batteries in exchange for cash.
In recent weeks, farmers in the nearby villages of Seisdon, Staffordshire and Kemberton, in Shropshire, have also been targeted, with batteries going missing.
If you have any information that can help police, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 1111.