Avoiding rural theft

[British Red]

Our video this week looks at one of the darker sides of smallholding - equipment theft.

It's undeniable that of course you are safer in rural areas than towns and cities, but one aspect of smallholding & farming is that expensive equipment can be stored on site & very vulnerable to opportunistic or even targeted theft.

Tonight we look at some of the measures that we use to avoid becoming a crime statistic

 

[Wildgoose]

Great video Hugh, sadly rural crime is a big deal at the moment

 

[British Red]

Great video Hugh, sadly rural crime is a big deal at the moment

It is round here - but I must admit some people don't take even basic precautions!

 

[Wildgoose]

Obviously people should leave other peoples stuff alone, but sadly that time seems to have long passed.

A few basic precautions might be enough to inconvenience the thief into moving on.

we have cameras covering the side and rear of our house, great for watching the foxes if nothing else!

 

[demographic]

I didn't want to watch this on my phone but as it popped up on my telly Youtube feed I caught it on that.
All good information, well presented.
I've spent enough time on farms and in rural areas to know that often security is an absolute joke and when its mentioned there's often some berk who chunters on about alarm mines and other gormless "Information".
Lights, decent locks, CCTV and most of all, keeping expensive gear out of sight. If they can't see it, they're less likely to try and nick it.

On building sites I engrave pretty much every tool that goes on there, also a patch of a particular colour of paint means I can spot my gear from someone elses twenty yards off.
Plus, if Ieave it somewhere numb the other guys on site know that colour means its likely to be my stuff.
I don't leave tools on site overnight and they go into my (non sign written) van toolsafe.
I also put my postcode on tools so if a thief gets it, they have to grind my name and postcode off before sale, then its pretty obvious that its nicked anyway.

 

[Pattree]

I’m hardly rural but I do live in the home of Smartwater. This doesn’t prevent theft but you can prove stuff is yours when someone finds it.

I have no idea how you protect a £700,000 machine from organised crime and wouldn’t want to discuss defence systems on line.

I’m also troubled by the sheep and cattle rustling notices that I’m seeing around Shropshire. Farming is bloody hard these days and no one can protect pasture 24/7.

 

[British Red]

I have no idea how you protect a £700,000 machine from organised crime and wouldn’t want to discuss defence systems on line.

Genuinely, locking gates, CCTV, floodlights and don't leave the keys on a hook are a good place to start!

 

[Tony]

Good Vid Hugh, I need to ramp up our security, It's a shame it's a necessity.

 

[British Red]

Good Vid Hugh, I need to ramp up our security, It's a shame it's a necessity.

It is a shame but prevention is better than cure (and we are all much safer in the countryside still)

 

[Tony]

Yeah, I've been a bit slack, relying on my location and low crime rate, need to get my finger out