THE owner of a smallholding near Ilminster wants rural communities to be more vigilant, as she claims thieves are targeting flocks of sheep.

Police launched an investigation earlier this month into the rustling of 200 in-lamb sheep from a field near Martock.

A stolen vehicle used to transport animals was recovered in Ilford, near Ilminster, after being torched.

A cream V-registration Leyland Daf box van was stolen from a business at Broadshard, near Crewkerne, the same night (Saturday, February 7), probably about 11.30pm.

Police say the incident may be connected with a farm burglary at Long Sutton the previous day in which sheep feed, lambing equipment and hurdles were taken.

WPC Rowan Hawkins, from the Rural Crime Team, said: “Stealing a flock of ewes due to give birth soon is a devastating crime for a farmer, and it appears to be linked to two other burglaries in south Somerset.

“To take such a large number of animals is a highly-organised crime and will require access to suitable facilities.

“I appeal to the farming community for anyone with any information which can assist in this investigation to come forward as soon as possible as we do have some lines of enquiry we are following – and we also need to be mindful of the sheep’s welfare.”

Smallholder Channon Preece, after being told about the rustling investigation, told The News: “This sort of thing is happening all the time on your doorstep.

“Most are not as large as 200 but we had our four sheep taken.

There are quite a lot of sheep going missing locally. Police haven’t got the manpower to have eyes and ears everywhere, so I would like to ask rural residents to be more vigilant.

“If you see someone parked in an odd place, watch them for a minute, if you are offered to buy meat in the pub, think twice about where it has come from. Our sheep were our pets and our hobby and we were gutted, but I really feel for the farmer who has lost 200 ewes, that is his livelihood and must have taken years of hard work.”

Anyone who saw someone acting suspiciously, any of the vehicles involved or has information which may help in the rustling investigation should call police on 101 and quote reference 13272/15.

The reference for the lorry theft is 13237/15 and the farm burglary is 12751/15.