Now is the time to try and keep would-be burglars ‘in the cold’
FARMERS are being urged to be vigilant to avoid becoming victims of rural theft now the clocks have turned back - as criminals use the cover of darkness to steal from the countryside.
NFU Mutual has warned the combination of dark winter nights and fewer people out and about after dark could lead to an increase in rural theft this winter.
The warning comes as the cost of rural crime has risen to its highest level for eight years, with organised criminal gangs targeting highvalue tractors, quad bikes and large numbers of livestock.
NFU Mutual reported that rural crime in the UK totalled £54m in 2019, and the cost of rural theft has peaked in the October to December quarter for the past two years.
This year the insurer found that while some types of rural crime fell during the initial Covid-19 lockdown, rural theft is now increasing in many parts of the UK as the economic impact of the pandemic bites.
The latest crime trend to hit UK farms is the theft of expensive tractor GPS systems, with incidents being carried out in nighttime raids.
Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “The longer hours of darkness can present greater opportunities for criminal activity, particularly in remote rural areas which may not benefit from as much lighting, passing traffic or general footfall in the evenings as urban settings. With our specialists at NFU Mutual Risk Management Services Ltd, we have prepared a winter security checklist and podcast to help farmers and other rural dwellers ensure their property is well protected to avoid becoming a victim of theft.
“While some types of rural crime fell during the early part of lockdown we’ve seen alarming rises in smaller, more portable items of kit being stolen such as tractor GPS systems, with tens of thousands of pounds worth of equipment being taken in a single night.
“The latest breed of criminal is using a range of tactics,
often staking out farms by day to return late at night and smash into tractor cabs under the cover of darkness.
“The damage and disruption to agricultural activities is causing huge anxiety in the farming community and we are working with police and manufacturers to make it harder for criminals to steal from our farms and villages,” she added,
NFU Mutual’s Risk Management Services Ltd (RMS) provides advice to farms across the UK to manage risks including rural theft.
Andy Manson, managing director of NFU Mutual Risk Management Services Ltd, said: “Thieves will strike at any time of year, but we do find they change their tactics as the nights draw in, targeting vulnerable outbuildings and taking advantage of bad weather when people are less likely to carry out their usual
checks. We advise farmers to look at their farm through the eyes of a thief and start with the yard and entrance.
“Hinge-capped gates which can’t be lifted off and good quality chains and padlocks are the first step in securing the property.
“Address what you have on display
in the yard and don’t give away any hints to would-be thieves of what might be inside.
“Also target-harden your valuable objects, this might involve creating a security cage for high-value items including tools and quads.
“It’s particularly important at this time of year to ramp up detectable measures, this can be anything from intruder alarms and security lighting to CCTV, which is a fantastic deterrent.
“Farmers are embracing a range of new technology involving infrared beams that relay live footage to mobile phones and set off voice warning systems.”