A FARMER turned detective to pursue thieves for more than 15 miles across South Devon after his quad bike was stolen.

He kept the police informed of his pursuit by mobile telephone as he followed the men, in a Transit van and on the quad bike, from his farm at Wrangaton to a site near Chudleigh.

Somewhere along the way the quad bike the farmer had watched them stealing was abandoned.

The incident happened at around 12.30pm on Monday. Police arrested three Plymouth men at the site in Teign Valley Road, Chudleigh, at around 1.40pm.

They have since been released on police bail while inquiries, including forensic investigations, continue.

The farmer was at home with his wife when he saw the men drive into his field, get onto his quad bike and drive away.

He called the police before leaping into his own car to follow the van.

The three men are thought to have realised they were being followed and quickly abandoned the quad bike at near the Glazebrook Hotel at Aish, near South Brent, around just over a mile from the farm.

The farmer lost sight of the van on a number of occasions but was able to find it again and pursue it further before police arrived on the scene.

A police spokesman said the farmer was able to stop on a number of occasions so he could contact the police and tell them how the pursuit was progressing.

She said police were keen to hear from anyone who may have spotted the stolen quad bike being ridden at Aish or abandoned.

Meanwhile, would-be thieves attacked a shed on the Wrangaton Golf Club between 11am and 1pm on Monday causing £15 damage but left without stealing anything.

A green Yamaha quad bike worth £3,500 was stolen from a farmer's corn store in a field at Harbertonford some time between midday on Monday and midday on Wednesday.

The bike had the registration mark WJ55 NLY.

The thieves broke open a padlock to get into the building before they also stole an £800 Ifor Williams 7ft by 4ft trailer and six rolls of sheep netting worth £450.