Farmer devastated after £17,000 raid
Apr 15 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal
AFARMER last night spoke of his devastation after his farm was raided and more than £17,000 of machinery was plundered.
Bryn Dowson, 41, was away from his home near Longhorsley, Northumberland, when thieves smashed a security light on the outbuilding at 4am on April 12. They then prised the fencing from the building before making off with a New Holland mini-digger valued at £17,000 and a red and black Honda quad bike.
Last night father-of-two Mr Dowson said: “I was at my mother’s house in Ashington with my kids and the alarm system at the farm was set off.
“It’s quite sensitive and I wasn’t really too concerned. I went up anyway and saw that my shed had been broken into.
“They could have taken so much more, but it’s like anything, the worse thing is to think that someone has been in my home.
“I’m not precious about material things, but I would have been upset if they had come into my home.
“I would have been even more upset if I had been home with the kids.” In February, The Journal revealed rural crime in Northumberland had rocketed in the last three years, with thefts from farms, including equipment, vehicles and animals, soaring by nearly 70% between 2005 and 2007.
And the robbery on Mr Dowson’s farm follows a spate across the region.
On February 16, police received a report that 75 sheep had been stolen from a farm at East Hedleyhope, near Tow Law, County Durham.
Farmers were warned to be on high alert for sheep rustlers striking on their property following several similar incidents.
And last night Mr Dowson said that raids on farming premises were becoming a major problem in the rural community.
He said: “I’ve lived here for eight years and nothing like this has ever happened before.
“But other families have had quad bikes stolen around here. There’s clearly a problem.”
Northumbria Police are carrying out an investigation into the theft and have appealed for witnesses.
A spokesman said: “It’s not known whether the thieves drove away on the vehicles or loaded them on to a trailer.
“The items are quite distinctive and anyone who saw or heard anything in the area should contact us.”
Anyone with information should call the police on 03456 043043, ext 61326.
