Stealing is a low act at the best of times. Stealing from farmers during a drought – well, that is below low.

In the NVI’s article this week about a spate of thefts on rural properties, the impact this disgusting kind of opportunism can have on a hard-working family is clear.

Farmers, out in the paddock looking to the sky for rain, are trying to scrape together enough to pay their debts, feed their families and organise some kind of a Christmas.

Imagine, then, coming home or heading to the shed in the morning to find chaos – and the things you have worked so hard to gain have been stolen or trashed.

You’ve battled the elements only to find the biggest betrayal is from  a small group of people with absolutely no idea of how to be part of a community.

Just before Christmas.

Farmers are the people we are all proud to call part of Gunnedah.

Part of what we love about Gunnedah is its solid basis as an agricultural community.

We need to look after our farmers.

It’s good to see the police are on the trail and hopefully, the raids by these low lives will soon be at an end.

In the meantime, unfortunately, we have to break the habits of a lifetime and, in some cases, the tradition of generations, and lock up where possible.

It might not stop everything, but it will at least make it that much harder.

And we can keep an eye out for our neighbours. This behaviour cannot be tolerated.