Subscribe to trusted local news
If you are accessing this story via Facebook but you are a subscriber then you will be unable to access the story. Facebook wants you to stay and read in the app and your login details are not shared with Facebook. If you experience problems with accessing the news but have subscribed, please contact subscriptions@thestrayferret.co.uk. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
28
Jul
Ripley family 'devastated' after cows worth £17,500 stolen
A Ripley farming family has said it is devastated after seven of its cows were stolen in a ‘highly organised’ theft.
The family is appealing for information about the crime, which is believed to have occurred on Sunday night (July 26) at Newton Hall farm.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Kathryn Fawcett, a member of the family that owns the farm, said she had “never heard anything like it”.
The family owns around 300 cows, and 19 were being held temporarily in this pen before they were due to be taken to the abattoir.
The seven biggest were taken, using the farm’s own handling equipment.
Ms Fawcett said:
The cattle were 24 months old and ready to be taken to the abattoir. My dad had sold the same type of cows last weekend for £2,500 each, so that’s why we think they took them. They knew what they were doing, it was obviously well planned.
The thieves drove across three of the farm’s wheatfields to get to the barn, and the family believes a drone was used to scout out the location as it is not easily seen or accessed by public spaces.
Ms Fawcett explained that the cows all had ear tags, which relate to a passport each animal has throughout its life, and the abattoir won’t accept cows without them. She fears the tags may be removed by the criminals, who could then illegally apply to the government for a lost passport.
Ms Fawcett said:
People have asked us if there is someone we’ve had an argument with, or a disgruntled former employee who might have done it. But we’ve never employed outside the family – even deliveries go to a different area so we never have anyone in that area of the farm. A drone is the only way it’s fathomable.
Cows on the farm that suffered the theft.
The farming community has pulled together, with many sharing Ms Fawcett’s appeal on Facebook. Some doorbell footage and CCTV has contributed to the investigation.
It is believed that the thieves drove in a Range Rover with a trailer attached through Killinghall towards the farm at 10:40pm, and were spotted driving past a local pub at 12:06am in the opposite direction.
Ms Fawcett said:
It’s just the neglect to our livelihood. It’s sad because they must be so experienced to know how to sort the cattle, how to load them, know the land – they must have an agricultural background so they know how hard it is to make a living. It’s robbing from the same pot.
My dad has been a farmer all his life and never had anything like this happen. You get attached – my mum has hundreds of pictures of our cows on her phone. My dad could identify them just from looking at them.
The family still hopes the cows are alive. It believes the criminals planned what to do after the theft, and knew they had to let the situation ‘settle down’ before trying to sell the cows on.
While the family tries to gather as much evidence as it can, the police are continuing their investigation. Officers visited the farm to take forensic evidence and will be conducting interviews soon.
People in the area are asked to check CCTV, doorbell cameras and dashcam footage for any suspicious vehicles or activity, and for locals to report anything they may have seen that was out of the ordinary to police.
A Noth Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:
At 9.44am on Monday 27 July, North Yorkshire Police received a report that approximately eight cows had been stolen from land close to the village of Ripley between Harrogate and Ripon. It is believed the theft occurred overnight between Sunday 26 July and Monday 27 July.
An investigation is ongoing and officers are now appealing for information. Anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area, or who has information that could assist the investigation, is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote reference 12260143621. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
0