TOTAL of £1,500 worth of car, lorry and tractor batteries were stolen from Hanbury and Droitwich in the space of 36 hours.
The first of three incidents took place between 3.30pm last Friday (April 29) and 9.30am the next day at a farm on Hollowfields Road in Hanbury.
Five tractor batteries totalling £500 were taken after thieves opened a gate and got into the farm from the road.
They then ransacked outbuildings before swiping the batteries straight from the tractors.
As they left, a fire broke out in a barn, burning a large amount of hay. It is not known how it was started but officers are treating it as arson.
Then between 1.30am and 1.55am on Saturday (April 30), several outbuildings were broken into in Hadley, Droitwich.
Two lorry batteries and four tractor batteries were stolen after the raiders cut wires to free them – the haul on that occasion also totalled £500.
And, between 6pm on Saturday (April 30) and 4.28am on Sunday (May 1), 50 to 60 batteries worth another £500 were taken from Severn Waste Services Ltd, Hanbury Road, Hanbury.
The thieves used a trolley which was on site to move the batteries and then dumped it halfway up the main driveway.
Two padlocks to a mobile recycling bin were also cut and an unknown quantity of old and broken mobile phones was stolen.
Sgt Sarah Kent from Droitwich’s Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “There has been an increase in the price of metal of late and with that we have seen a significant rise in this type of crime.
“There is a certain amount of precious metal in mobile phones and batteries which is why these items are being taken.”
Witnesses or anyone with any information on these crimes should call Droitwich Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
