The NFU's discount partner, Tracker, is urging rural communities to protect themselves from casual criminals and organised gangs focusing on farms, and calls for extra vigilance, reminding owners to look at ways to protect their vehicles, farm equipment and machinery.
The recent NFU rural crime survey of farmers across 10 regions in England and Wales found:
- Overall, 31% said that they experienced at least one crime during 2020
- 42% of crime victims reported at least one instance of theft with the most common types of items targeted being tools / equipment (17%) and vehicles / machinery (12%)
- Those affected by crime in 2020 saw estimated average losses of £4,473
- 59% of farmers surveyed feel that rural crime in their area has increased during the past year.
Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison for Tracker commented: “The lifting of restrictions across the UK are a double-edged sword for the farming and agricultural sectors; it brings social and economic relief for many but also fears of a release in pent up criminal activity. Unfortunately, East Anglia, where Jamie Oliver lives, typically experiences a higher-than-average crime rate due to the thieves making the most of quick access to nearby docks like Felixstowe. Criminal gangs will steal to order and quickly ship the goods abroad to places like Eastern Europe and North Africa, and farming equipment is high on thieves shopping lists as demand continues to grow.”
Quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) used on farms are popular targets for thieves; these types of farm vehicles have basic onboard tech, are a compact size to transport in a shipping container and don’t have registration plates, making them an easy target.
“Thankfully, farmers are responding to the rise by taking extra crime prevention measures such as blocking field entrances, digging ditches around fields and most importantly upgrading building security and installing CCTV. Another security strategy is to fit tracking devices. Whilst it won’t stop the vehicle or equipment being stolen, it is the only way to increase the chances of it being returned to the rightful owner,” concludes Wain.
80% of stolen vehicles recovered by Tracker are recovered within 24 hours thanks to its exclusive partnership with the UK’s police. A John Deere Tractor worth £25,000 was recovered in Newark in under 24 hours with one other non-Tracker fitted tractor, a valuable Honda TRX500 quad bike that was stolen from a farm in an extremely rural area of Midlothian, a John Deere Gator stolen from a Leicestershire farm, and a Land Rover Defender stolen from Cambridgeshire, are just a few of the assets recently recovered by Tracker.
Member discounts with Tracker
As a partner of NFU, Tracker offers member discounts of up to £410 on Thatcham-approved stolen vehicle recovery solutions, and you can benefit from a 12.5% discount on NFU Mutual Tractor policies and 10% off on Quad Bike policies, when you fit selected Tracker products.