East Riding farmers hit by thieves targeting technology worth thousands

Farmers in the East Riding of Yorkshire are being hit by thieves targeting valuable GPS systems on their machinery.

These systems are an expensive item for any business and to have them stolen has a serious impact on the farmer’s lives and livelihoods. In recent thefts, at Goodmanham near Market Weighton on 25 March and at Wressle near Howden on 1 April, over £35,000 worth of GPS receivers and screens was stolen from farm vehicles.

Rural Task Force officer PC Josh Fawcett said, “These recent thefts have had a devastating impact on the farmers. It’s hard enough producing the country’s food without having people come along and steal their property. Farm machinery is a massive investment for a farmer, and it needs to be protected from opportunist thieves.”