Rustlers steal 200 sheep from Shropshire farm
© Tim Scrivener A total of 200 sheep are believed to have been stolen following a raid on a farm in Shropshire.
Police investigating the thefts say the sheep were taken between 4pm on Saturday 13 June and 4pm on Tuesday 16 June.
The animals were stolen from a field on Sutton Lane, south of Market Drayton.
See also: What to do if you’re a victim of… sheep rustling
Anyone with information is asked to call West Mercia Police, quoting incident number 703-S. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Spate of thefts
The latest incident follows a number of similar large-scale thefts of sheep from farms across the UK.
A flock of 50 sheep were stolen from a farm in Newborough, near Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, overnight on Wednesday 10 June.
In May, livestock rustlers stole a flock of 120 sheep from a farm in Beals Mills, Callington, Cornwall.
NFU Mutual has urged farmers to protect their livestock from thieves, who are taking advantage of the coronavirus lockdown to steal in the countryside.
The rural insurer said large-scale organised thefts of stock have been steadily increasing over the past two years, contributing to a 19.4% rise in value, with farm animals worth £3m stolen from UK farms in 2019 alone.