Tractor thieves on the prowl in Devon

Police in Devon are warning farmers to stay vigilant after thieves stole two tractors in the county over the past 10 days.

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward after the theft of a tractor from a farm in Bovey Tracey.

The incident happened overnight on Thursday (30 November) or in the early hours of Friday (1 December).

See also: 9 tips to combat farm theft during the darker nights

A red McCormick agricultural tractor, worth about £30,000, with the registration number WA10 KWT, was stolen.

Anyone with information should call police on the 101 number, quoting CR/104412/17.

Deere tractor stolen

The latest theft comes after a John Deere 6220 loader tractor, registration number WA06 FVO, was stolen from The Donkey Sanctuary, in Sidmouth.

The Deere was taken between 3.30pm on 25 November and 9am the following day. The tractor has a bucket on the front and a new scraper on the back.

Annie Brown, interim director of rescue and rehoming at sanctuary, said the tractor theft had left everyone at the charity, which provides care to rescued donkeys, “incredibly sad”.

She added: “We will ensure the welfare of our donkeys is not affected by this theft, but it does mean our teams will be under a great deal of unexpected pressure to keep the farm running smoothly, especially at this time of the year when we’re using the tractor to transport the donkeys’ feed and bedding to them every day.”

Thefts linked?

Anybody with information is urged to contact the police on 101 quoting the crime number CR-102901-17.

A police spokesman said it was too early to say whether the thefts were linked, adding that officers were keeping an “open mind”.

Information on either theft can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online via the Crimestoppers homepage.