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FARMING AND RURAL COMMUNITIES URGED TO MARK AND PHOTOGRAPH PROPERTY
Feature article on Connect FM Website - Source: http://www.connectfm.com
Members of the farming and wider rural community in Northamptonshire are being urged to mark and photograph their belongings after a number of thefts in recent months.
Items including sheep hurdles, sheep handling equipment, cattle trailers, quad bikes, red diesel and gates have all been stolen from properties in the county since late summer.
Rural and Wildlife Crime Officer Chloe Gillies, said: “We are urging people who live in rural locations to make sure they mark their equipment, especially anything that is left unattended or in an isolated area.
“Offenders are damaging gates and padlocks to get onto land, or in some cases have opened unlocked gates to steal items that have been left unattended.
“It is understandable that some items are left in isolated locations but we are urging people to help us make life difficult for thieves. Lock gates and padlocks, photograph and mark any equipment with your postcode or another distinguishing mark, and please call us on 101 to report any suspicious activity or 999 if you think a crime is in progress.”
General security advice:
- Consider installing a perimeter alarm system that will alert you should anyone enter your land
- Alternatively, you can purchase individual detectors that will send an alert to your mobile phone when activated
- Covert wildlife cameras can be used to capture images of intruders that can be sent directly to your mobile phone. Positioned at strategic points around your farm and property, they are a relatively inexpensive way to alert you of unwanted visitors and the images can be used to help identify them
Security advice for diesel/oil tank thefts:
- Position your tanks so they are easily observed from your house but cannot be seen from the road. If the tanks are within an outbuilding, keep the building locked
- Check the levels on your tanks on a regular basis
- Consider installing a tank alarm that will alert you if the level suddenly drops
- Use signage such as ‘This tank is alarmed’ or ‘CCTV in operation’
- Install security lighting triggered by movement so you will be alerted if anyone approaches the tanks
- Consider use of LED security lighting which incorporates CCTV, however, this will require an electricity supply
Security advice for trailer thefts
- If you own an Ifor Williams trailer check that it is registered in your name with Ifor Williams, ring the company direct on 0843 216 7447 to confirm and make a note of any serial numbers/chassis numbers, so if stolen it is identifiable to you
- Trailers and horseboxes are all potential targets for criminals, especially if they are left unsecured or in isolated locations. Thieves usually steal trailers to move large items.
- Wheel clamps and hitch locks are available to fit all sizes of trailer and should always be used and can be found by visiting http://www.soldsecure.com/
- Locking posts can also be installed to provide further security and can also be found at http://www.soldsecure.com/
- Trailers and horseboxes can be uniquely marked using the CESAR Datatag system, more information can be found at http://datatag.co.uk/trailers.php or http://www.trackerdirect.co.uk/tracker-retrieve
- Consider installing a tracking device to your trailer so you can trace its movements
