Criminal gangs are stealing farm equipment to ship to Russia in a bid to fulfil hovering demand.

The variety of burglaries has risen sharply in latest months and police concern the agricultural crime wave is aiding Vladimir Putin’s warfare effort.

Thieves are focusing on gear comparable to excavators and high-value GPS models, which permit farmers to map out fields and plant crops extra effectively.

These are being smuggled into the Eastern bloc, which has seen an enormous rise in demand for heavy equipment since Russia invaded Ukraine and the West imposed crippling sanctions.

Supt Andrew Huddleston, who leads the UK’s National Rural Crime Unit, mentioned: “We know from where we’ve recovered equipment that it’s heading to Eastern Europe.”

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While Mr Huddleston and his team have no conclusive evidence that the stolen equipment is actually arriving in Russia, he is in little doubt about the final destination.

He added: “If you asked me my professional opinion, for a country that’s below sanctions, then completely I'd count on the black market to be responding to that. That’s what criminals do.”

Machinery theft in England and Wales has risen by greater than 300 p.c within the first quarter of this yr.

April was the second-worst month on report for GPS thefts, in accordance with rural insurance coverage agency NFU Mutual, with prices doubling to greater than £500,000 within the first 4 months of this yr in comparison with final yr.

While thefts have been reported nationwide, East Anglia and the East Midlands are specific hotspots.

Hertfordshire-based farmer Eveey Hunter mentioned rural crime was at the moment “the worst I have ever known it”.

She added: “Nothing is safe wherever you park it.”

Heavy farm gear is considered leaving the UK behind lorries and containers, although smaller objects comparable to GPS models may also be couriered or parcelled overseas.

Last month, UK officers alerted their Dutch counterparts to a lorry travelling on a cross-channel ferry, which was discovered to include 4 stolen excavators and a horse field.

The authorities is now backing laws requiring new all-terrain autos and quadbikes to have forensic marking utilized on the level of sale. David Exwood, vp of the National Farmers’ Union, mentioned it was “crucial” producers additionally “install anti-theft devices in all GPS equipment”.

A Home Office spokesman mentioned rural crime introduced “particular challenges” and police forces had been being supplied further officers, CCTV and different know-how to fight it.