The Toyota HiLux was later found burnt out near Invergordon.
The Arcadia farmer later learnt of a suspicious grey Nissan X-trail that had been visiting neighbouring farms, pretending to be lost.
The stolen utility contained tens of thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment, most of which were missing from the abandoned vehicle.
A valuable grain analyser was destroyed in the fire.
Invergordon farmers reported the utility on fire in a bush reserve off Drumanure Rd, east of Gordon Rd, on Sunday, December 7 at about 7am.
Farmers also saw a black clothed man walking along Labuan Rd.
The Aracdia farmer was shocked at the brazen theft from the same farm where he was working in a harvester.
“For a while I thought someone had just moved the ute,” he told Country News.
“It’s a huge nuisance at this time of the year.
“There was a lot of tools on board and the grain testing machine was pretty important.”
The theft was reported to police.
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