Police confirmed they were investigating four incidents in which specialist GPS equipment, valued at more than £130,000 altogether, was stolen from 25 tractors in the Chichester area.

Rural crime officers have been in contact with the victims, in Patching, Easebourne, Bosham and Church Norton near Selsey, and an investigation into each of the incidents is ongoing, police said.

“They are working with colleagues across the force, and nationally, to deal with this issue, which has been seen in other areas of the country although not so far in other areas of Sussex,” the spokesman said.

Officers work with farmers and rural communities to deter and detect criminality, the spokesman said, and also provide specialist crime prevention advice to help owners protect their tractors from this kind of theft.