Farmers have been urged by gardaí to assess and if necessary "beef up" security on their holdings.

The comments from Sgt. Damian Bartley, crime prevention officer for Roscommon/Longford, follow reports of thefts from farms across Longford and Roscommon in recent weeks.

"A typical farmer will have a lot of expensive tools and machinery on their farms that can cost tens of thousands of euros to replace, if stolen.

"That’s before you even take into consideration the serious inconvenience that having equipment stolen will cause," he said.

The advice comes as gardaí are investigating the theft of a number of items, including trailers, from farms in Monaghan and Roscommon in recent weeks.

Between 10:00p.m on Tuesday, April 4 and 6:00a.m on Wednesday, April 5, a farm yard at Gortnagoyne, Ballinagare, Co. Roscommon was entered and a Nugent aluminum 9x5 cattle trailer and a Honda generator were stolen.

Gardaí believe that the theft may be linked to the burglary of a rural house in Rathkineely, Ballinagare in the early hours of April 5.

During that incident, three masked men wearing dark hoodies and gloves entered an outbuilding and took a Honda 6Kva generator, a Husqvarna leaf blower and a Husqvarna consaw.

Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information to contact Castlerea Garda Station on; 094 962 1630 or the Garda Confidential line on; 1800 666 111.

A separate investigation is also underway in Co. Monaghan following the theft of a number of items at a farm located at Drumully, Smithboro.

Gardaí said that between March 19-26, a 14ft Ifor Williams tri-axle flat-bed trailer, a black Honda lawnmower and a 4ft stone water-trough were stolen.

A cast iron work bench which was painted black and red, along with a cast iron chair were also taken.

There has been no arrests in relation to the incident and anyone with information is asked to contact Monaghan gardai on; 047 77240.

Sgt. Damian Bartley offered the following crime prevention tips to farmers:

Store your tools and smaller machinery in secured buildings close to the farmhouse. Photograph machinery and tools. Keep a detailed record of make, serial number and colour. Mark the property with a uniquely identifiable brand in both obvious and secret locations. Consider using the garda property app;
Restrict access to your farmyard, install gates and fix them to sturdy concrete or metal posts. Keep them locked and consider appropriate signage, such as “private property, keep out”;
Consider installing an alarm and CCTV in vulnerable areas out of view of the farm house. Install good lighting to illuminate areas viewed from the home or covered by CCTV;
Do not leave keys in tractors or quads when not in use and do not buy machinery, tools, trailers, tractors, quads or ride-on mowers from strangers. Do not pay cash for goods as if you have no receipt, there is no guarantee;
Report suspicious activity to gardaí immediately by ringing 999 or 112.