Titchfield Farmer shocked as thieves take 40 sheep from his field overnight

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A local farmer has spoken of his shock after discovering 40 of his sheep had been stolen overnight.

Farmer James Burns has had 40 of his sheep stolen from his farm in Titchfield, overnight between August 10 and 11.Farmer James Burns has had 40 of his sheep stolen from his farm in Titchfield, overnight between August 10 and 11.
Farmer James Burns has had 40 of his sheep stolen from his farm in Titchfield, overnight between August 10 and 11. | Sarah Standing

James Burns woke up to a surprise on August 11 when he discovered 40 sheep had been stolen from his farm in Brownwich Lane, Titchfield. He heard his sheep making noise in the night but thought nothing of it until the next day when noticing the fence had been damaged and his flock depleted.

He said: “There were 18 ewes and 22 lambs that were taken. I had come out in the morning to meet a neighbour. We had heard the sheep in the night but we didn't think anything of it. When I got up I realised they were in the wrong half of the field, which is split into two halves. I went up to get them back in and realised there did not look as many.

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“Then we saw that the electric fence had been cut. We counted them and realised that some were missing so we ended up spending two days looking for them with a drone. We didn't have any luck so contacted the police. “

James said: “It was a big shock, it doesn't half give you a financial hit as well. Now every night you hear a sheep baa we go out to check that they’re not getting stolen.

“We think it was just an opportunistic thing, someone saw the sheep and thought they would be easy to get at. On the estate it’s all arable farmers except for us, so the only other livestock farm is in Titchfield itself.

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A friend has set up a JustGiving page to help James recoup some of the losses after his sheep were stolen. A friend has set up a JustGiving page to help James recoup some of the losses after his sheep were stolen.
A friend has set up a JustGiving page to help James recoup some of the losses after his sheep were stolen. | Sarah Standing

While James hopes the sheep will be returned he is not expecting them to be. The sheep were all marked with JB on their wool but he believes they may have bee taken to a “dodgy abattoir”.

The financial impact of the theft is already starting to take its toll with insurance only covering so much. He said: “We still hope that they will turn up, especially as some of them were my breeding ewes.

“They were insured but they wont actually pay what the cost of the sheep is to replace. They also wont pay out for 30 days but our rent still needs paying so its tricky. Some of the lambs were due to go to the local butcher and market which would have helped pay the rent.

It is not only the financial side that it has impacted with James anxious about thieves returning. He said: “It doesn't do your mental health any good because you are constantly worried someone will come and steal some more.”

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The farmer is now taking steps to ramp up security on the farm including adding cameras to the corners of the field. While a friend has started a Just Giving page to help recompense James losses which has gained support online.

Hampshire police are continuing its investigation of the incident and are asking anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference 44240345688.

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