Increase in theft of agricultural plant warning

Police Scotland are reporting a spike in thefts of agricultural plant, in particular tractors and telehandlers, across Scotland.

Some advice from the police on keeping your equipment safe and secure includes:

Where possible, vehicles should be housed in a lockable garage or building, ideally with security lighting installed to the perimeter.

Vehicles should always be locked when not in use, with the keys kept hidden and locked away in a secure location.

Keep recordings or photographs of serial numbers and vehicles as these can be crucial in recovery, should the worst happen.

Steps you can take to prevent theft of quads and all-terrain vehicles:

Invest in a bespoke quad security device, such as Quadvice or a quality padlock and chain, such as those approved by Secured By Design – a police-approved product scheme.

Securing to a fixed point on the ground or something that takes time to remove will also act as a deterrent.

Never leave your keys in the ignition, even if you only briefly leave your ATV unattended.

Keep gates to yards closed as open gates can be an invitation to thieves.

Steps you can take to prevent the theft of tractors could be:

Marking machinery with DNA marking devices and forensic marking products.

Signing up to CESAR, an agricultural equipment registration scheme, which increases the chance of recovering stolen goods by helping police identify stolen machinery.

Having the Vehicle Identification Number etched on windows. This makes the vehicle more detectable and less appealing to thieves because they have to grind out the numbers.

Installing immobilisers, chip keys and trackers as these are a simple way to deter criminals or track vehicles and can be fitted easily by an experienced agricultural engineer.

If a crime is being committed, call 999.