News & Blog
Rural Crime and how we can help to beat it
Using telematics to detect and prevent rural crime
A generation ago rural crime didn’t amount to much more than a toolbox full of spanners, or an odd sheep or few lambs going missing. Today rural crime has been estimated to have cost the UK £39m in 2016, leaving many farmers and rural communities feeling threatened and vulnerable. With farm equipment getting bigger and ultimately more expensive, it’s a loss they just cannot afford.
According to the latest NFU rural crime report, over the last 10 years rural crime has increased significantly. Organised crime gangs are targeting farmers and rural communities are becoming increasingly concerned about becoming victims to rural crime. See the report here: https://www.nfumutual.co.uk/news-and-stories/rural-crime-report-2017/
This is where telematics (and Simple Solutions); installing tracking devices on vehicles and farm equipment to aid recovery of your assets.
Tractors
Thieves are becoming more competent in cloning the identities of large, expensive tractors to make them easier to sell and harder to detect, removing serial numbers and plates before exporting overseas. Although most new tractors have a tracking device installed by the manufacturers, additional devices can be added to complement, adding extra security features. In addition to the newer models smaller, older tractors are also at risk, being stolen by organised gangs to export to developing countries where they are broken up and used for spares.
Farm Vehicles
Land Rover Defenders
We have recently seen an upsurge in supplying tracking solutions for Land Rovers, as now they have ceased production they are becoming more valuable and are now a prized item to steal. Thieves are becoming increasingly resourceful and can dismantle the vehicles within hours of the theft, making it extremely difficult to recover. Parts are then sold on or shipped overseas. Owners are increasingly turning to social media to track down their vehicles, posting images of stolen vehicles, asking the community to be aware of any dubious parts on offer for sale. However, using a tracking device should not only deter thieves but may also help recover your vehicle before it gets to stage of be broken into parts. Costs to the UK of Land Rover theft alone are up from £1.8m in 2015 to £2.1m in 2016. Up 17% and this number is likely to have increased in 2017! (NFU Rural crime report).
Quad bikes
Again, a highly prized item to steal! IP rated asset trackers are an ideal device to use here as the low power save mode sends the device to sleep and can alerts on movement and/or when a geofence is broken. Geofence your land and send alerts when vehicles or assets move beyond these boundaries. Rechargeable batteries can last up to 6 months depending on how frequent the reporting is set at. Similar to the Land Rover figures, costs to the UK of Quad bike theft was up from £1.8m in 2015, to £2.0m in 2016 (NFU Rural crime report).
Trailers & Horeseboxes
Trailers and horseboxes are another prime target for potential theft. Thieves are stealing the vehicles and also the trailers, loading up livestock or agricultural equipment and making a convenient quick getaway. Fitting vehicle and asset trackers, setting geofences and alerts, that can be sent to your phone/email, can help to recover all your assets and assist the police in locating your property before they have disposed of it, this also helps with insurance claims. Insurance companies usually offer cheaper policies if vehicle and asset tracking are fitted, so it’s well worth investing in.