‘Grubby thing to attain’: WA police investigate after practically $50,000 value of fertiliser stolen from farmer

Police in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt are investigating the theft of 36,000 litres of liquid fertiliser from a rural property shut to Toodyay. 

Remaining week a landholder at Wattening attempted to beget a machine, most effective to accept as true with bigger than half of their 60,000-litre tank of Flexi-N became as soon as missing.

Police like called for witnesses to any uncommon behaviour within the Wattening procedure from October final 365 days when the tank became as soon as stuffed.

Toodyay Senior Constable Kevan French mentioned he became as soon as uncertain how the theft had occurred but mentioned it became as soon as uncommon and premeditated.

“A two-365 days search, drawl-extensive, has most effective found one other incident in Moora [about 100km north-west of Wattening], the put 40,000 litres of liquid fertiliser became as soon as taken in April final 365 days,” he mentioned.

Fertiliser tag hike

Fertiliser prices like soared to tale highs all throughout the final 12 months due to restricted offer from China and global insecurity due to the the war in Ukraine.

Product is in total kept in tall portions and left unattended on farms, which police mentioned made for straightforward targets.

Senior Constable French mentioned farmers ought to easy lock up storage tanks the put that you just will seemingly be able to also take into consideration and support an scrutinize out for suspicious behaviour.

“With seeding starting up to ramp up there would possibly be going to be somewhat a pair of vehicles spherical, but if it is a truck or a automobile you do not recognise then please contact police,” he mentioned.

A ‘grubby thing to attain’ 

Pastoralists and Graziers Association president and York farmer Tony Seabrook described farmers as “sitting geese” who had been prone to of us stealing from their houses, sheds and paddocks when they weren’t point to.

“Most farmers are bloody right blokes and right girls,” he mentioned.

“Or no longer it is a terribly grubby thing to attain. “

Mr Seabrook mentioned the introduction of moveable battery-powered reducing tools made it pretty pointless to lock up plant and equipment as padlocks would possibly perhaps well easily be within the reduction of.

He mentioned many properties, including his like, had security cameras installed.

“I feel it is one thing every farmer ought to easy hang into consideration,” he mentioned.

“I manufacture no longer dispute the police can attain mighty to finish this.

“Or no longer it is particular particular person awareness, it is cameras, having of us on the property, being careful.

“It falls support on the property owners bigger than the police.”