Police are appealing for more information after thieves stole nearly 40 sheep and lambs from a farm in Somerset.
A total of 20 sheep and 17 or 18 lambs were taken from Ham Hill Country Park near Yeovil between Sunday (5 April) and Monday (6 April).
Police are investigating the incident and are calling for the public for more information.
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police's rural crime team said: "Between April 5 at 7.30am and April 6 at 1.45pm, 20 sheep and 17-18 lambs were stolen from a location on Ham Hill at Pitwood in Stoke-sub-Hamdon.
"If you have any information in relation to this theft of livestock please contact us."
Rustling is the third most costly crime for British farmers after agricultural vehicle and machinery theft.
Figures released earlier this year reveal that livestock worth £3 million were stolen from UK farms last year.
How do I prevent livestock rustling?
Preventing rustling is not as easy as putting a padlock on a building or fitting a security system to a tractor.
However, there are a number of steps farmers can take to reduce the risk and technology is now providing effective ways of tracing stolen livestock.
To deter livestock thieves, NFU Mutual advises farmers to:
• Ensure stock is clearly marked and records are up to date
• When possible graze livestock in fields away from roads
• Check stock regularly - and vary times of feeding/check ups
• Consider a high-tech marking system such as TecTracer which puts thousands of coded microdot markers into a sheep’s fleece
• Join a Farm or Rural Watch scheme to share information about rural crime in your area
• Ask neighbours to report any suspicious sightings to the police, or to give information 100% anonymously to the Rural Crime Hotline 0800 783 0137
• Dial 999 immediately if an incident is taking place - do not approach criminals
