Two men arrested after quad bikes stolen from Keswick farms

Cumbria Police have arrested two men in Cumbria in continuing efforts to combat rural crime.

Officers received a report last night at 9:30pm of a suspicious vehicle carrying two quad bikes. The vehicle was stopped 10 minutes later on Northside Road in Workington.

A 31-year-old man from Pontefract was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods and remains in police custody.

A 32-year-old man from Workington was arrested on suspicion of burglary on Thursday 3 November.

The two quad bikes recovered are believed to be those stolen from two farms reported earlier in the day from farms in the Keswick area.

In an unrelated incident on Tuesday 1 November, detectives charged two men with handling stolen goods.

NFU Cumbria County chairman Ian Bowness said: “Sadly it is clear machinery and fuel theft is back on the rise, with farms being targeted.

“Rural crime has huge financial implications for farm businesses, and it also leaves farming families feeling vulnerable, intimidated, and in some cases directly threatened. This all comes at a time when the industry is already facing numerous other pressures, not least soaring production costs and challenging weather conditions.

“Thankfully, Cumbrian police officers know what to look out for and I’m grateful to the off-duty officer who spotted this crime in progress. I’d urge all farmers in the county to take the necessary precautions to prevent machinery theft impacting farm businesses, both financially and emotionally.”

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