But in only one crime has a suspected thief been identified
Thousands of sheep have been stolen across Devon and Cornwall since 2014.
Between 2014 and 2018, 108 crimes involving sheep rustling were reported to the Force, a Freedom of Information Request revealed. A total of 2,946 sheep were stolen, the figures state.
But in 104 of the 108 thefts, police were unable to identify a suspect with the crime being investigated as far as reasonably possible.
A further two crimes was a named suspect identified and the victim supported action, but the police ran into ‘evidential difficulties’.
In one instance, the victim declined to support any police investigation, while one crime remains under investigation.