Plumbridge farmer devastated after 20 of his lambs stolen

A FARMER has been left reeling after thieves stole more than 20 lambs – a quarter of his flock – from a field near Plumbridge in what appears to be a planned and targeted theft.

The summer period is critical for sheep farmers, as months of hard work go into preparing lambs for the marts.

For Frankie Knox, that effort was wiped out in one night.

“It was last Thursday evening,” Frankie said. “My son-in-law and grandson had gone up to feed the lambs and, even at a glance, they could see loads were missing.”

The family searched the surrounding fields and hills, but there was no sign of the animals.

What they did find, however, left little doubt: trailer tracks near the road, along with hoof prints, dog paw marks, and human footprints.

“The worst part of it all is that someone can just walk onto your field and take them without consequence,” he added.

Frankie reported the theft to the police but was told chances of recovery were slim.

“They basically told me it would be nearly impossible to trace them – unless somebody saw something or knows something. They said the lambs are probably already over the border in Donegal, out of jurisdiction altogether.”

The stolen lambs were nearly ready for sale, having reached the ideal weight for the factory.

Frankie believes the thieves knew exactly what they were doing.

“These lambs were at county kilos. The people who took them knew what they were, what they were worth and what could be done with them.”

Beyond the financial hit, Frankie pointed out the unseen costs… from medicine to feed to the sheer time involved in rearing.

“Financially, it’s a big loss, but there’s so much work that goes into getting them to this point.

“You lamb them, you look after them, dose them, move them, feed them. There’s a lot of unseen cost and labour.”

The theft has left Frankie shaken and on edge.

“I’m usually a very calm, unbothered person, but now you start thinking: Should I move them out of the field?

“What do I do now?

“This isn’t a one-off,” he added. “There are more people out there at risk, and it seems to be happening more often.”