A MAJOR theft of sheep from Dartmoor this week sparked an urgent appeal for information by police and landowners.

Some 370 sheep have been stolen from the Long Plantation, at Holmingbeam near Princetown, since March.

It is thought the sheep are unusual enough that the general public may well have seen them being loaded into lorries, as it would have taken a considerable amount of time to complete such an operation.

The sheep, belonging to Peter Tavy farmer Colin Abel and his two brothers, are Scottish Black Face ewes with red spot markings behind their necks and on their rumps.

They have 'half penny' ear cuts on their left hand ear (top and bottom and ear cut off at the end) and 'half take' cuts on the right ear (underneath). The sheep ear tag number is UK365346.

Mr Abel said: 'We started taking the sheep out in March. We knew numbers were reducing but we didn't realise the extent of it until we brought them in for shearing around August.

'It makes a hell of an impact on flock size and it means that we're struggling to keep numbers up for grazing on the common.

'For the police to arrest anyone they have to catch them in the act but Dartmoor is a very big place.

'To keep sheep for 12 months and then for someone to just take them is soul destroying.'

Mr Abel said that it was not just his flock, but other farmers' sheep which were going missing as well.

'Previously, the thieves seemed to target you one year and then leave you alone for a couple of years before coming back, but they seem to keep coming back every year at the moment,' he said.

'They don't go through the normal channels, it's all black market stuff so we can't trace them through the abattoirs.'

A spokesperson for the National Farmers Union said the incidents of sheep theft around the south west was escalating.

He said: 'The value of sheep is high at the moment which is probably motivation for the thieves, but what they are doing is totally out of order and extremely irresponsible in terms of the hygiene process and animal welfare, not to mention the implications to the farmer.

'The meat must be ending up with people who have a black market outlet — who know what they're doing and have the equipment.

'We are moving towards having all sheep individually identified, but no matter how good a farmer you are, you cannot keep an eye on every single sheep 24 hours a day because of other farming responsibilities.

'All we can suggest is that if anyone living in these areas sees anything untoward or sees any suspicious vehicles, to make a note of the registration numbers.'

PC Dave Pickles, neighbourhood beat manager for Princetown, said: 'This is an unusually high number of missing sheep which has had a big impact on the livelihood of those rearing them.

'Anyone who can help at all, please get in contact.'

The police say it is unknown when the thefts took place, and enquiries will be made nationally as it is likely that the sheep have been sold on.

Police ask anyone who has any information in respect of this theft or who knows of the current whereabouts of the sheep, to contact them on 08452 777444 quoting police reference JT/10/1089.