Police warn rural community after reported farming equipment thefts

Safer Neighbourhood Team officers are urging the rural community to be vigilant after the attempted theft of farming equipment in Maple Cross.

Overnight between Wednesday 29 December and Thursday 30 December, approximately £1,000 worth of damage was caused to a tractor.

It is believed that offenders were attempting to remove the vehicle’s satellite receiver. While they were unsuccessful, the tractor’s bodywork suffered dents and scratches as a result.

Overnight between Thursday 30 December and Friday 31 December, four additional incidents were reported in the Dacorum village of Sarratt, where a trailer, a mini digger and power tools were stolen.

PC Christian Gottmann, a Rural and Wildlife Crime Officer, said: “The equipment has since been removed from the tractor as a crime prevention measure, but we’d like to warn the rural community of these incidents so they can take further precautions to protect their property by locking items away securely.

“We are investigating these incidents and appeal to anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the Denham Way area of Maple Cross, or the village of Sarratt, overnight between the dates stated to come forward and speak to us. In the meantime, we will be increasing our patrols of these areas as a reassurance measure.”

If you have information, you can email PC Gottmann at [email protected], use online web chat, report information  or call the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 41/102207/21.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit their website (opens in a new window).

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