Warning as specialist thieves target tractors

POLICE PLEA AS GANGS STEALING GPS DEVICES

FARMERS are being warned of specialist gangs of thieves who are stealing valuable tractor GPS devices and shipping them abroad.

Many farms have tractors fitted with thousands of pounds worth of GPS equipment – usually a small dome on the roof and a laptop-size screen inside the cab.

Police forces across the UK have noticed a sudden spike in the number of thefts of the equipment from farms in recent months.

Police are encouraging rural communities to be alert to thefts of high value tractor GPS units and to report any suspicious behaviour.

Leicestershire Police wildlife crime officer Pc Rob Cross is working with farmers across the county and beyond to try to stop the gangs.

Pc Cross, who covers the Market

Bosworth beat, said: “These units cost thousands of pounds and are used specifically in the agriculture industry making these crimes quite specialised.

“Farmers use this type of equipment to maximise their yields, however the units themselves don’t emit a GPS signal, making them difficult to locate once they have been stolen.

“In many cases, the GPS units are sent abroad to avoid detection.

“From working alongside other police forces, we believe that some of these offences taking place across the UK may be linked. Our inquiries remain ongoing.”

He said the thefts were damaging the livelihoods of farmers already working in a tough industry.

Rural officers are asking farmers to help protect themselves from theft by locking up their equipment and fitting alarms and CCTV cameras.

Pc Cross said: “Another really important way the rural community can help protect local farmers from high value thefts is to make sure they are reporting any suspicious behaviour to us.

“If you see any people or vehicles acting in a manner you believe to be unusual, please make a note of any registration numbers or descriptions of people and tell us about it.

“You can report suspicious behaviour to us by calling 101 or reporting online. If you see a crime in action, call 999.”