A tractor that was stolen in Co. Laois last Friday (January 12) has been spotted almost 100km away from the farmyard it was taken from.

A Massey Ferguson 6480 – registration number 12-LS-1137 – along with a big red Broughan grain trailer with a yellow roll-over cover was stolen from a farmyard near The Rock, Mountmellick, Co. Laois.

It is understood that the theft occurred between 7:45pm and 8:00pm on the night in question.

stolen

The tractor and trailer were stolen at the end of last week

In a post on Facebook, farmer Rory Doyle said: “A car was seen outside the yard at 7:30pm; the tractor was picked up at Irishtown, Mountmellick on CCTV, heading towards either Portlaoise or Ballyfin.”

Doyle claims that the thieves must have failed in a bid to unhitch the trailer from the tractor, as the lights on the back of the trailer weren’t switched on.

Continuing to utilise CCTV to track the tractor, the farmer posted an update on the social media site to say it had been seen in Mountrath, Co. Laois at 8:25pm that night – approximately 20km away from the farmyard.

stolen, trailer

It is believed that the thieves failed in a bid to unhitch the trailer from the tractor

Following this, the stolen tractor and trailer were spotted in Birdhill, Co. Tipperary, at around 11:00pm.

It is believed that the tractor may have been heading in the direction of Limerick.

Farmers and the general public have been asked to keep an eye out for the tractor and trailer. Anyone with any information is asked to contact their local Garda station.