Rural crime team help reunite farmers with stolen equipment

Cambridgeshire’s Rural Crime Action Team have helped reunite farmers across the country with stolen equipment.

In October the team recovered an estimated £250,000 worth of suspected stolen agricultural GPS equipment in Peterborough.

The 21 pieces of high-tech equipment, which are used by farmers to make farming more efficient and reduce pollution, were located following the arrest of two men, in conjunction with Northamptonshire Police, on suspicion of conspiracy to steal.

Over the past month the team have been contacting farmers across the UK and working with local suppliers to identify the rightful owners.

Working with Northamptonshire Police’s Rural Crime Team, the officers are visiting the victims or insurers across Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Northamptonshire to reunite them with their equipment.

PC Hellary, from the RCAT, said: “GPS screens and receivers are high-value items that are often stolen to order by organised crime groups.

“Working closely with the farming community we know the high-tech equipment costs thousands of pounds and saves farmers time and money so these thefts are detrimental to the victims.

“Once we recovered the equipment we were determined to do all we could to find the rightful owners. I’d like to thank all of the agricultural companies that assisted us to be able to do this.

“There are no boarders for us when it comes to rural crime, this has been a multi-force investigation with Northamptonshire and several eastern regional police forces. Multiple arrests have been made and the investigation is still ongoing.”

Farmers are urged to remove their GPS guidance receivers, aerials and antenna globes from tractors when not in use and ensure they are left in a safe and secure location.

If this is not possible then consider where the vehicles are left at night and the use of motion triggered CCTV, lights and alarms.

The equipment should be marked with a postcode or a forensic marking system.