Sheep stolen and mutilated in field raids
POLICE have launched a crackdown on poachers in rural Macclesfield following incidents of animal theft and mutilation.
Operation Seek is aimed at targeting wildlife crime which has involved the killing and theft of sheep and deer.
In the most recent incident, around December 5 or 6, a farmer with land near to the Cat and Fiddle Road reported five sheep had been killed by a gun and body parts removed.
Police are also investigating after reports of a group of males were seen walking with lurcher-type dogs and carrying a dead deer to a vehicle on London Road North, close to Anglesey Drive, Poynton, in the early hours of Tuesday November 24.
In another incident eight sheep were killed by what is believed to be a large dog on farmland in Lower Withington on November 22.
Another incident being probed is a suspected lamping – poaching at night – near to the quarry off Lapwing Lane in Lower Withington.
Two men were seen with a dog on November 30 at 10.15pm, and a man suspected of poaching escaped police by running into Macclesfield Forest about 9.30pm on October 31.
Police are also investigating a report of a horse with its mane plaited, a signal to thieves that a horse is not branded or microchipped.
PC Lesley Long from Macclesfield Police has been heading up the operation.
She said: “Wildlife crime is a high priority for us.
“Poaching is probably the biggest problem in wildlife crime in rural Macclesfield at the moment.
“It can take many forms – chasing rabbits and hares with dogs, to trespassing with firearms.
“Livestock can be scared and in some cases land owners are threatened.”
The operation builds on the force’s 100 days of rural crime campaign which revealed the significant concern the rural community raised about poaching.
Pc Long is urging farmers and landowners to sign up to the Cheshire Police Alert system so they can be aware of crime trends.
She said: “By registering with Cheshire Police Alert, you receive news and appeals, local crime information and crime prevention advice direct to you as an email, mobile text or voice message. Registering with this site is completely free.”
It also allows you to feed back information to your policing team.
Call police on 101 to report suspicious activity.