Essex Police 'haven't bothered' with probe, farmer claims

The incident took place last Monday and involved criminals smashing a car through a gate before they used sharp implements to cut through the plastic sheeting covering the bales.

Tyre marks were left behind and part of the vehicle which broke off when the crooks drove on to the farmland has been left on the scene.

When farmer Stephen March discovered what had happened, he arranged for the haybales to be covered a second time, but there are fears the damage to them may be irreparable.

Shocked – Stephen March he had never experienced such an incident in his 35 years as a farmer (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

With each bale valued at £35, Mr March faces potential losses of £6,125.

But the lack of action from police has left Mr March, 67, wondering whether the force is taking the matter seriously.

He said: “I was shocked – I thought, who the hell is responsible for doing this, and why?

“If this had been £6,000 stolen out of a shop in the High Street, the place would be swarming with police and forensics.

“The officer I spoke to was very pleasant and said he would pass it on and they would be in touch – here we are, three to four days down the line and we haven’t had a word from anybody.

“There are tyre marks in the mud. The police just haven’t bothered – if you are going to find people who do this sort of thing, then you need to act quickly.

Slashed – the slashed covers expose the bales to sunlight, which can damage them and make them unusable (Image: Stephen March)

Mr March, who said he has not experienced an incident like this in the 35 years he has been a farmer, says a lack of effort from police has meant criminals are unlikely to be deterred.

He said: “There is a worry about how vulnerable you are – you are farming, you have open land, and people can come and enter on their own freewill.

“You worry about what else they are doing to do.”

A spokesman for Essex Police insisted they are trying to make contact with Mr March as soon as possible.

He said:  “Every report is assessed according to the threat, harm and risk posed on a case-by-case basis, combined with the force’s capacity to respond at the time.

“In this case the incident was assessed as not requiring immediate attendance.

"We are endeavouring to make contact with the victim as quickly as possible, and we will explore every proportionate investigative avenue we can to identify a suspect or suspects where possible.”