THREE quad bikes have been stolen from farms in Radnorshire in the space of just two days.

Another quad bike was found abandoned on a farm lane in an apparent aborted theft.

The incidents are now being investigated by the police’s Powys rural crime team who have also issued security advice to farmers.

Two Honda ATM quad bikes were stolen the Nantmel and Llanfihangel Nant Melan areas either late on Monday, September 10 or in the early hours of the following day.

A third quad was taken from a farm building in the Penybont area and left abandoned in the farm lane.

On Wednesday evening, September 12 a fourth Honda ATM quad was stolen from a farmyard in Nantmel, near Rhayader.

PC Charlie Jones, of Dyfed-Powys Police’s rural crime team, said farmers should be weary of people arriving at their farms and said farm thefts are usually well planned, even using the internet.

He said: "Criminals arriving on your farm won’t always be obvious. They may call beforehand with any excuse, just to look at what you have available to steal. "Whether it’s asking you to buy scrap, cheap tools or just asking for directions. Any excuse usually means one thing – they are looking for what they can come back and steal later. Thieves may park away from your premises and attend on foot. They will have done their homework on entry and exit points or they simply use freely available satellite photos and maps from the internet."

As well as reminding farmers not to leave vehicles in insecure sheds or with keys in the ignition police are advising people to keep photographs of vehicles and farm machinery and record details of any chassis or identification numbers.

It is also advised to secure all terrain vehicles such as quads to the floor with clamp rings and heavy duty chains and to install CCTV and security lighting.

Gates should also be locked with the top hinge upside down to prevent removal.

Police also want people to record vehicle details of cold callers, if it is safe to note them down, and report any suspicious activity to them.Anyone with any information about the quad thefts can contact Dyfed-Powys Police by calling 101. Alternatively, contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.