Farmyards fortified to ward off brazen thieves

FARMYARDS are being turned into fortresses to ward off “brazen thieves” amid a surge in crime in rural areas, figures show.

Insurance claims for rural crime have risen by more than 20 per cent in the six months to June.

Insurers warn that emboldened criminals are forcing farmers to take extraordinary steps to protect their property, including the installation of tracking devices on tractors.

In its annual report on rural crime, NFU Mutual said the surge contrasted with a £40 million decline in claims last year, adding that the trend was “deeply worrying”.

Tim Price, a rural affairs specialist at the firm, said of the figures: “In some parts of the country, farmers are having to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect themselves from repeated thieves who are targeting quads, tractors and power tools.”