Rural crime latest: equestrian equipment stolen, dogs on loose and £30k wood chipper recovered

A £30,000 wood chipper stolen from premises in Arundel was among the latest reported incidents of rural crimes across West Sussex.

A tracking device enabled Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team to recover the equipment – but many other stolen items from other incidents across the county are yet to be recovered, according to the latest Sussex Country Watch Newsletter.

The latest version of the newsletter, produced on behalf of Sussex Police, documented rural crime reports for the period September 27 to last Sunday. Anyone with information about any of the incidents should call police on 101.

September 27

- An unsuccessful attempt was made to steal a Gator vehicle from a farm in Petworth. During the attempt the intruders broke a lens on one of the CCTV units.

- A horse box in the Horsham area was broken into and a dressage saddle, a bridle and a purse valued at £2,000 were stolen.

September 28

- A portable toilet valued at £800 and situated on a farm in Bosham was deliberately set fire to and destroyed.

- A bell tent valued at £900 was stolen from farm premises in the Midhurst area.

- An unsuccessful attempt was made to break into premises in Ash Road , Horsham.

September 29

- A Lancing farmer received a phone call informing him that people were seen exercising loose dogs in his field of sheep and that the dogs were out of control. The dog’s owner was identified and police were dealing with the matter.

-A vehicle was deliberately driven into and through the gate to a field in the West Dean area of Chichester.

- Stables in the Crawley area were broken into and various items stolen, including generators, hand tools and hedge trimmers valued at £800.

September 30

-Farm premises in Malthouse Lane, Chichester, were forcefully entered and a digger trailer worth £1.000 stolen.

October 1

- A woodchipper valued at £30,000 was stolen from premises in Arundel but as it had a tracker fitted to it, police were soon able to locate and recover it.

- A farm in Ashurst was broken into and an unknown quantity of Red Diesel stolen.

October 3

- Farm premises in Compton, Chichester, were broken into and an unsuccessful attempt was made to steal diesel.

Due to this setting the alarms off, the intruders left rapidly.

Animals on the highway The number of reported loose animals on the highway during the period was our, made up of two sheep, one cow and one horse.