Thieves steal tractor Ted from Witchford small holding
Ted the tractor is stolen from a small holding in Witchford. Owner Iain Clements is appealing for witnesses to get in touch woith Crimestoppers. "It is like our Swiss Army knife, it does everything," he said. Picture: IAIN CLEMENTS - Credit: Archant
A couple who run a small holding on the outskirts of Ely are appealing for information about their distinctive green compact tractor which was stolen from a locked garage behind their home.
Ted the tractor is stolen from a small holding in Witchford. Owner Iain Clements is appealing for witnesses to get in touch woith Crimestoppers. "It is like our Swiss Army knife, it does everything," he said. Picture: IAIN CLEMENTS - Credit: Archant
The green John Deere vehicle has eyes on it and its name, Ted, in large black letters, on the bonnet.
The couple think the culprits watched their property and struck during the high winds and storms, when they used bolt croppers to break into the garage, carefully push the vehicle past a 4x4, then escape through a field at the back.
Iain Clements left his job in IT in Hampshire and moved to Witchford with his wife two years ago to live the dream of a good life in the country, growing vegetables to sell at market.
Everything was going well, they had their first baby a year ago, but then thieves struck in the early hours of Thursday March 14 some time between midnight and 6am.
Ted the tractor is stolen from a small holding in Witchford. Owner Iain Clements is appealing for witnesses to get in touch woith Crimestoppers. "It is like our Swiss Army knife, it does everything," he said. Picture: IAIN CLEMENTS - Credit: Archant
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Iain said: “Without Ted we are lost.”
“It was so noisy in the storm. We can only assume that is why we heard nothing.
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“Our 4x4 was pushed up against it. They’ve carefully got the tractor past it, then removed things that were in the way to get it, including a generator and compressor.
“It was a very precision and neat operation. The tractor was like a Swiss army knife for us,” Iain added.
“It does everything. Weeding, clearing, rotavator. We are off grid so needed to bring wood in. Now we are having to wheelbarrow it.
It is a distinctive tractor with eyes on it and the name Ted in large black capital letters. It is registration GP02 CWU.
The model is a John Deere 4410.
“We had only had it six months,” Iain said. “It is a 2002 model but the sort of thing that lasts for many years.
“It was a forever bit of kit, as we saw it. We are told it is the only one sold with a loader on it in the UK.”
• If you see it or have any information please contact Cambridgeshire Police ref CRI358IS71432019 on Crimestoppers.
