Residents living in rural areas are being warned to be vigilant after equipment was stolen from farms in West Dorset.

At about 3am on Tuesday (June 12), a Kubota RTV was stolen from the home address of a farm worker in Abbotsbury. The vehicle was fitted with a tracker and, together with the owner, police officers located it near to a field entrance on Bishops Road.

Officers, assisted by the NPAS helicopter, carried out a search of the area for the offenders but no one was found. During this search they came across an Ifor Williams cattle trailer, which looked like it had been abandoned in Coombe Road.

The trailer’s owner was contacted and they were unaware it had been stolen. It is believed the theft happened some time between 4.20pm on Monday (June 11) and 3.30am on Tuesday (June 12).

Both vehicles will be returned to the owners.

A number of enquiries are underway to identify the people responsible for the thefts, including house-to-house visits and CCTV enquiries.

A dark-coloured 4x4 vehicle has been caught on CCTV at the relevant time but no other detail was captured.

Police Community Support Officer Tom Balchin, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team, said: “Thefts such as these can have a real financial impact on victims and we are very pleased to have been able to return the vehicles to their rightful owners.

“I would urge members of our farming and rural communities to make sure they protect their property by following our crime prevention advice. 

“Finally, I would ask anyone with information about either of these thefts to please contact Dorset Police.”

For crime prevention advice, visit  www.dorset.police.uk/ruralcrime 

Anyone with information about the thefts can contact Dorset Police on 101, quoting crime number 55180089869 for the RTV incident and 55180089878 for the cattle trailer incident.