Side-by-side ATV taken from farmer's Southgate land

Police are asking for the public's help in locating a stolen side-by-side from Southgate Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.

The number of thefts from farm properties is alarming to the Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

The latest theft involved a stolen John Deere side-by-side from a property on Southgate Sideroad 13 in Southgate Township.

Police were called to the area on Friday at 8:41 a.m. when the owner reported the missing side-by-side.

The owner said an excavator on the property was moved, and diesel fuel was stolen from the excavator to obtain the side-by-side.

The owner told police that a GPS on the excavator was live at 2 a.m. on Friday.

The area was canvassed, but no video footage of the incident was captured.

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The side-by-side is a 2022 John Deere 835 EGator (Serial#1M0835EAVNM050296).

There is a Martin Drainage decal on the hood, and equipment numbers 74-22 are stamped on both sides of the hood. No plates were attached.

Theft from farm properties is becoming a weekly concern for the OPP.

Police ask the public to call police if they observe anything suspicious on farmers' properties during the night hours.

The police said they would rather attend and find out that it's the owner tending to their property rather than receive a call the next day that an item of farm machinery has been stolen.

The OPP is asking anyone in the area with video surveillance to check it on February 16, 2024, any time after 2 a.m., to contact the Grey Bruce OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure Web-Tip or download the P3 Tips mobile app.