Sheep carcasses continue to be dumped in paddocks and on the side of rural roads in Hastings. Livestock thefts and rural burglaries are also on the rise at Flaxmere, police said.
Sheep carcasses and offal is still being dumped around the area, Flaxmere Community Constable Greg Andrew said. "The remainsindicate to us that stolen meat continues to be traded and sold around the Hastings area. This has a huge impact on farmers and their businesses."
It costs the Hastings District Council between $100 and $300 to clean up the remains of each slaughtered animal. It was a "huge, unnecessary" cost to ratepayers, he said.
There had also been a spike in burglaries of rural properties in the Flaxmere area. Thieves have been targeting household electronics, chainsaws, motorbikes, shearing equipment and firearms, he said.
"We urge anyone living on a rural property to make sure their houses and sheds are locked up when no one is home, consider installing a burglar alarm if you haven't got one and keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour in your area. We need to be told straight away if you see any person or vehicle that looks out of place or is acting suspiciously.
"Don't hesitate to ring 111 - we would rather respond to a call like that than have to deal with a burglary," Mr Andrew said.
Some people were reluctant to report suspicious behaviour to police as they believed it might not be worth it and they did not want to waste police time.
But Mr Andrew said prompt information was "hugely important" to police.
"That gives us a much better chance of catching burglars and thieves 'on the job'. We have to work in partnership with rural communities to make the community a whole lot safer."
Anyone with information about the stock thefts or burglaries should contact Mr Andrew at Flaxmere police station on 06 8310700, or information can be left anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.
