
The theft took place in the early hours of last Thursday, where two John Deer tractors worth a combined £40,000 were stolen from the Barton family’s Stirzaker House Farm in Sandholme Lane.
Thieves broke in through gates where the tractors were kept locked in a silage camp.
Speaking last Friday, tractor operator George Barton said: “The police said they have never seen anything like this before.
“The big tractor was parking on the bottom end of the farm and the other in a building at the top end.
“They must have known we had two because it was hidden away. Nothing else was taken.”
The former Garstang Community Academy student added: “Police were here all day yesterday and found a torch and crowbar on a field they walked across and a drink bottle near one of the tractors. They also found a few footprints and think it was three people involved.
“At this time of year we’re getting busier and we now hav no tractors to do our jobs. There’s a farm across the road from us offering to lend us one which has been really nice of them.”
George’s dad and farm owner, John Barton, said: “It just hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s been very hard to take in.
“The thieves obviously knew what they were coming for; they broke in and were ready and equipped.”
The 51-year-old added: “I’ve lived at this farm for ten years and we’ve never had anything like this happen before. It’s usually a very nice place to live.”
The family are now asking for anyone who has seen anything suspicious or who may have captured the thieves on camera to get in touch.
A police spokesman said: “We got the call around 9am on March 22 reporting a theft of two vehicles overnight some time between 11pm on March 21 and 6am on March 22.”
The tractors are described as a 6920 (registration PN05 OJZ) and a 6430 (HY08 FGK).
The 6920 has a lot of stickers around the cab, a single chrome air horn on the roof’s left side, no front mudguards , and two new Ecco vision alert beacons. The 6430 has a front John Deere loader, a missing left hand door, no front mudguards and no mirrors.
Lancashire Police said that anyone with any information can ring 101 quoting crime reference number WB1803059.