Rural crime: Police helicopter joins pursuit of stolen quad bike
Last updated 26th Jul 2025
It's emerged a police helicopter was drafted in to the Scottish Borders to join the pursuit of a stolen quad bike.
Local Crime Prevention Officer, PC Bruce Anderson, has been recalling the recent drama - involving half a dozen police units - in a drive to encourage locals to do more to secure their property.
He’s handing out advice to farmers at the Border Union Show in Kelso this weekend.
PC Anderson told Greatest Hits Radio: "Over the last two months, the Scottish Borders has been hit with a lot of crimes, whether it be thefts of quad bikes and trailers, or tools from vans.
"The message we try to get out is: 'Make sure your property is locked up, and if you have got high value tools, don't leave them in a van overnight; try to store them in a secure building'."
Among the measures the public can take are installing security lightning and CCTV, and removing keys from vehicles and storing them out of sight.
"We do have a lot of people trying the measures as best they can to deter and delay criminals," PC Anderson said. "But, unfortunately, we still get instances where people are not as security-conscious.
"There was an incident where a quad bike was left unattended and, in the end, there was about five or six (police) sets attended that incident, including the force helicopter.
"Thankfully that quad vehicle did have a tracker on it and, when it was activated, it was able to be traced within the area and recovered."
More than 10,000 people are expected to visit the annual celebration of farming at the Borders Events Centre in Kelso this weekend.
Former Scotland rugby star John Jeffrey - now the Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale - will judge the Champion of Champions in the main ring at 3pm.
But Dan Withall, Executive Director of the Border Union Agricultural Society, revealed it's not just about farming.
He added: "There's lots of noise through the (stunt) motorbikes we're having this year, there's also pony club racing, and we'll finish up with the Jim Clark Rally cars, so lots going on."
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