Lanigan RCMP are asking the public for information following a vandalism spree near Burr, Sask.
Thieves stole tools and a combine tire from a farm between Oct. 16 and 17, which cpl. Ray Zillich said occurs sporadically throughout the late summer and into harvest season.
However, he said it’s the amount of vandalism that accompanied the theft that sets this crime apart.
“I’ve gone to mischief complaints in the past on farms where one tire may be slashed, but here, every tire on every vehicle was slashed,” Zillich said.
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The victim estimates the total cost to replace the tires on his truck and machinery at $20,000. The slashed tires will also delay harvest.
Zillich said whoever committed the crime likely has a farm background because the stolen items would be of little use to someone who didn’t.
“These rural type incidents are hard to solve because people usually keep pretty tight lipped in the rural areas,” he said.
People often don’t want to come forward because they are worried about repercussions if they do, he said.
The other difficulty for police is that more farmers are leaving machinery unattended overnight as farms get bigger.
Zillich urged farmers to lock up their machinery whenever possible and mark their property so that it can be readily identified by police.
He also encouraged anyone with information about this incident to either call the Lanigan RCMP at 306- 365-1370 or, Crime Stoppers at 800- 222-8477.
