POLICE are warning Fenland farmers to be vigilant after a number of thefts of tractors in the South Holland area of Lincolnshire. They are also appealing for the public to ring in any suspicious activity like tractors being on the road in the evening. A p

POLICE are warning Fenland farmers to be vigilant after a number of thefts of tractors in the South Holland area of Lincolnshire.

They are also appealing for the public to ring in any suspicious activity like tractors being on the road in the evening.

A police spokesman said: "Most of these machines are worth more than �50,000 and there is a huge international black market for them at the moment, with many being shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan to be used on regeneration projects."

Three tractors have been stolen in the South Holland area.

A JCB fast track, registration AE08LMF, worth about �90,000, was taken from a farm in Crowland between Friday April 9 and Monday April 12. It also had a fertiliser spreader worth about �15,000 with it.

A John Deere tractor, registration FX08LJC, worth about �65,000, was taken from a farm at Shepeau Stow, Whaplode Drove, overnight on March 25.

Another John Deere tractor, registration FX06RZW, was taken from a farm off Bidder Road, Donington, overnight on March on 21.

Head of Spalding Vehicle Crime Unit, Dave Sargent, said: "This is a real emerging trend and we need farmers and the public to be vigilant to prevent more thefts and to help us catch these criminals.

"If anyone sees tractors on the road in the evenings, possible in convoy with another vehicle, then please call the police with the registration.

"It doesn't matter if it hasn't been stolen, you won't be wasting our time, we'd rather check and if we start getting calls like this we have much better chance of getting out there and making an arrest.

"These type of crimes are a huge blow to farmers and the local rural economy as a whole and we need to work together to tackle the problem.