Police Scotland scheme to lower number of farm vehicle thefts
Farmers will be given stickers for their vehicles, encouraging police to verify ownership
Police Scotland is starting a new scheme to prevent farm vehicles being stolen.
The initiative will see farmers being given stickers to put on machinery like tractors, quadbikes, and trailers, which encourages police to stop the vehicles if they are being driven outside usual hours.
It would allow officers to verify the ownership of the vehicles if they are on the roads between 10pm and 5am, with the hope it will allow them to more quickly identify anyone illegally in possession.
Police Scotland will be working alongside colleagues from the Northumberland, Durham, and Cumbria Constabularies, as well as the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC).
"It's a lot of hassle trying to organise a replacement"
Each month, Scotland sees between £250,000 and £400,000 worth of rural machinery, tools, and vehicle theft.
Speaking to Tay FM, farmer Douglas Nicholson said theft of equipment can bring work to a halt.
He said: “It’s always going to be when you’re needing it most, whether it’s your motorbike at lambing time, or a tractor and bailer at silo time.
“It means you possibly can’t get the job done and then it’s a lot of hassle trying to organise a replacement to get the work finished.”
Inspector Jordan Low from Police Scotland’s Rural, Acquisitive and Business Preventions team said: “We know that the theft of farming vehicles and machinery can have a significant financial impact on rural communities and alongside SPARC and our neighbouring English Constabularies, we have introduced this new sticker scheme to identify more easily those responsible for such offences which will complement existing cross-border partnership work already taking place.
“Road Policing Officers and their local policing colleagues have been made aware of the scheme and throughout the course of their duties, should they come across a vehicle displaying one, they will stop and check the vehicle and driver ensure anyone driving is legally permitted to do so.
“We are committed to tackling rural crime in all its forms and will continue to work alongside our key partners and the farming industry to explore any and all opportunities to reduce these offences and bring those responsible to justice.”