One thousand day-old ducklings stolen

A thousand ducklings have been stolen from a Shropshire farm suppliers. The day-old birds, valued at about £3,000, were stolen from Cheshire Game Supplies, on Sandford Industrial Park, in Whitchurch over the weekend.

Andrew Grocott, owner of Cheshire Game Supplies, believes the culprits used specialist equipment to carry out the theft. "I've no idea why it has been done," he said. We have had minor thefts before, but nothing on this scale.



"The thieves clearly must have had specialist equipment with them, such as a heating source, and crept in between security patrols." A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "We are appealing to anyone who spotted suspicious activity in the area between Friday night and Saturday morning to contact police.

"This is an unusual theft involving a large quantity of birds. We would also urge people to make contact if they are offered day-old ducklings for sale in dubious circumstances." National Farmer's Union (NFU) county advisor Jeremy Lowe said the theft is the first incident of its kind in the area and urged other farmers and poultry owners to step up security.