A QUAD bike has been stolen in Dent during the latest in a spate of rural burglaries.

The offenders gained entry to a metal shipping container at Dent Head Forestry between 11pm on June 24 and 8am on June 26, and stole a green Kawasaki KLF300cc quad bike.

A jerry can holding £27 worth of fuel, hand tools and a hammock were also taken.

The incident is the latest in a spate of rural burglaries in South Cumbria, with four others occurring in five days between June 14-18.

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The news has prompted police to issue a warning to rural residents to check the security of their properties.
 

Detective Inspector Amanda Sadler said: “Criminals will take any opportunity that is offered to them and therefore simple precautionary security steps are vital. 
 

“It only takes five minutes at the end of the day to do a check and make sure everything is locked away.
 

“Residents in rural areas should look out for suspicious people and vehicles, particularly vans and cars with trailers that could be used to move farm equipment, vehicles and quad bikes.
 

“If we are alerted at the earliest stage, especially in rural areas, we can act and hopefully prevent a crime taking place.”
 

Advice issued by Police for those living in rural areas include:
 

• Farm machinery and hand tools should be securely marked to ensure that they are identifiable

• Photographs of expensive equipment should also be taken to assist with the identity of items
 

• Never leave keys either in or nearby unattended vehicles
 

• Ensure that quad bikes and farm machinery are stored in a secure compound when not in use
 

• Be aware that criminals may travel from other areas to commit rural crime – during the day and at night time. They may also come equipped
 

Anyone with any information into the burglary at Dent Head Forestry is asked to contact Police on 101 and ask to speak to an officer from South Cumbria CID.