Farmer believes bovine bandits are most likely ‘drunk kids who’ve done it for a bit of a laugh’. A farmer has appealed for the return of a life-sized plastic cow which he said was “very elegantly” stolen from his field in Yorkshire. It is believed that the livestock lookalike – said to have often been mistaken for a real cow – was stolen from a field near Harrogate at some point in the fortnight leading up to 28 January.
Despite being described as “exceptionally difficult to remove” due to its “heavy, solid plastic structure”, the farmer said he assumed the culprits were likely to be “drunk kids who’ve done it for a bit of a laugh”. Yet in comments to the BBC, the farmer – who has chosen to remain anonymous – said he believed it must have taken at least three men to liberate the vast farmyard imposter.
“I don’t know how they would have stolen it,” he said. “They must have had a van or a roof rack or something - you can imagine all sorts of hilarious pictures with the cow on top of a roof rack.”. While his appeal has been amplified by North Yorkshire Police, the farmer praised the culprits, saying: “There's no damage to the fences or anything, so they’ve done it very elegantly.”. “I'd far rather they steal a plastic cow than commit a serious crime,” he added.
The ornamental bovine appears to have left the village of Kirkby Overblow in the same spirit in which it arrived. After purchasing the plastic cow for around £700, the farmer said its early days on his farm were spent wedged next to a hawthorn bush, prompting passersby to knock on his door to warn him that a real cow was stuck. The farmer appeared hopeful for a reunion, however, saying that he kept expecting the cow to turn up on The Stray, a public park in Harrogate, or “at a bus stop somewhere”.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are appealing for information following a theft in Kirby Overblow, near Harrogate. “Between Tuesday 14 January and Tuesday 28 January 2025, a life-size plastic cow was stolen from a field in the area. The cow is a heavy, solid plastic structure, making it exceptionally difficult to remove. “We would particularly appreciate any sightings of this ‘moooving’ cow ... and any details that could help us return it to its rightful owner.”.
