Top tips for farmers as machinery tops thieves’ list of most wanted items

With agricultural machinery topping thieves’ list of most wanted items, DC Chris Piggott of the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) said he was asking the farming community to ‘help us help them’.

He asked farmers to:

• Record details of machinery you own, including chassis and engine numbers, CESAR markings and any unique features;
• Photograph each item so that pictures can be shared on social media if it is stolen;
• Invest in immobilisers;
• Consider a tracking device;
• Lock it up, chain it up and remove the keys.

Farmers were also encouraged to report any suspicious or criminal activity on social media to help share intelligence with friends, neighbours and rural communities.

NFU Mutual rural affairs specialist Tim Price said: “Innovative use of social media to report criminal activity is also working well in some areas – and reducing isolation.

“There is no doubt that when police, farmers and other rural organisations tackle rural crime in an organised way they get results.”