RSPCA officers have this week confirmed they will be carrying out post mortems on sheep if there are any further ritualistic killings on Dartmoor, following more deaths at the weekend. Two lambs were killed on Whitchurch Common on Friday night, less than two weeks after three sheep were found on the moor, again with their necks broken, eyes gouged out and tongues cut out. The latest incident at Warren?s Cross brings the total number of attacks to four over an 18-month period involving 20 sheep owned by four farmers. Police and RSPCA officers are working together to try and solve the crimes which have left the farming community shocked. The perpetrators have arranged the dead bodies in a heptagon shape, a square and in a line on previous occasions and there have been suggestions that the killings could be a paganistic ritual. Inspector Becky Wadey of the RSPCA said the society was taking the matter very seriously. The attack on Friday involved two lambs, one in a field next to the farmer?s house and one on the common. She said there had been a full moon on the night of the previous killings, although not on the Friday evening. ?We are taking this matter very seriously and I have authorisation to carry out a post mortem should it happen again so we can establish more information about the way the animals died,? she said. Farmers have been baffled as to how nervous animals like sheep have been caught and one theory is that they have been tranquillised. PC Dave Pickles at Tavistock Police Station wants to hear from anyone who may know someone involved in these unlawful slaughterings. Contact him on 08452 777444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 if you want to remain anonymous. Alternatively you can contact the RSPCA on 08705 555999 and ask for Inspector Wadey.