Police are joining forces with the Farmers Union of Wales and the National Farmers Union to call on rural communities to be vigilant following the theft of sheep.
Since September, North Wales Police have received several reports of thefts as a result of which over 70 sheep are believed to have been taken.
Two of the latest incidents include a report received at the beginning of November that 25 sheep had been taken from farmland south of Dolgellau. In October, 33 sheep were reported stolen from a field at Efenechtyd, Ruthin.
Inquiries are underway and officers are calling on farmers and everyone living in rural communities to be vigilant and to report any suspicious vehicles or anyone acting suspiciously to the police immediately.
District Inspector for South Denbighshire Dewi Roberts said: “These are serious offences which can have a significant impact on the livelihood of the victims and the rural community at large. We are working with the NFU and FUW to further call on residents to remain vigilant.
He added: “Police officers will be stepping up patrols in the rural areas in South Denbighshire and making vehicle stops in a bid to provide reassurance to members of the farming community. Farmwatch members have been sent messages alerting them to the thefts. Police officers will be visiting the mart in Ruthin to highlight the issue.”
Patrols are also being increased in the West Conwy area and officers are encouraging any members of the farming community who haven’t joined the local Farmwatch scheme to get in touch. Officers, along with those in South Gwynedd are also urging anyone who sees anything or anyone acting suspiciously in the area to get in touch. All matters are treated seriously and will be investigated.
NFU Cymru warns that sheep rustling seems to be on the increase and is still a serious problem for Welsh farmers. NFU Cymru Ruthin Branch Chairman, Gareth Jones said: “It is deeply worrying for livestock farmers that this type of activity is on the increase and is starting to form an upward trend.
“We now have a significant number of sheep thefts that have occurred throughout the county and it is unlikely that Denbighshire is alone in facing this problem and the warning goes out to livestock farmers around the country to be on their guard.”
The Farmers Union of Wales says that sheep rustling is a serious criminal activity which costs Welsh farmers vast sums of money each year, both in terms of direct losses and raised insurance premiums.
Marian Jones is the FUW County Executive Officer and said: “The recent spate of thefts in the Ruthin area is concerning development and we are glad that North Wales Police are giving it the attention it deserves.
“Farmers should remain vigilant, and I would urge anyone who sees anything suspicious that may be related to this or other rural crimes to take down any relevant information such as vehicle registration numbers and report the incident immediately to the police.”
North Wales Police can be contacted on 101 (if in Wales) 0845 6071001 (Welsh language line) 0845 6071002 (English language line) or Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111. People can also give information anonymously to the police via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
