WOOL bales have recently been stolen from farms at Croxton East and Dunkeld, prompting police to urge property owners to consider their security measures.

Hamilton Police detective senior constable, Jackson Sharkey told The Spectator that one of the thefts occurred between April 4 and April 6 at the Hamilton-Chatsworth Road property at Croxton East.

Four or five bales of wool with an assessed value of approximately $1500 were taken.

All the bales were marked with the owner’s details.

Subsequently, between April 7 and 8, thieves entered two sheds at a farm on the Dunkeld-Cavendish Road, close to Dunkeld.

Here, they stole several bales of wool together with a single axle trailer valued at $3000, a Stihl chainsaw ($1200) and a heavy-duty Honda generator ($6000).

CCTV footage obtained by police shows a white dual-cab ute towing the stolen trailer.

It is suspected that the trailer had been used to transport the generator with the ute’s tray carrying the wool.

A similar crime, in the Dergholm district, was reported to Horsham police about the same date.

More recently, a farm shed at Glenthompson was broken into and closed-circuit television (CCTV) equipment was damaged but nothing was stolen.

Hamilton Police Farm Crime liaison officer, detective sergeant, Mark James told The Spectator that with lower sheep and cattle prices there had been a shift away from livestock theft, with wool often proving an easy target.

He pointed out that in Victoria, there was less regulation of wool sales to brokers and traders than in New South Wales where full identification and addresses need to be provided to the broker.

Det. Sgt. James added that diesel was often being stolen with plastic fuel pods and electric pumps, which are readily available, making fuel theft easy.

He went on to stress the value of signage, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and movement-activated light sensors adding that these could be solar powered in parts of the farm which did not have mains power connected.

Det. Sgt. James said, “Part of the problem is that CCTV is making it harder for thieves in the larger towns and cities and they are now finding farms an easier target.”

Stressing the need for preventative measures he encouraged farmers to make use of the Farm Crime Liaison Service provided by Victoria Police, which is explained in detail on their website at police.vic.gov.au/farm-and-rural-safety

Liaison officers make farm visits to make recommendations which, when acted upon, can greatly reduce the risk of theft and vandalism.