Hi fellow trackers
I like success stories thought I would share this one with you.
Whilst I love my bushcraft and tracking at weekends, like all hobbies this has to be funded by my day job.
During the day I work as an investigator for a company which specialise in tracing stolen plant and agriculture machinery. This generally involves the use of databases, informants, tracking devices etc.
I recently received information that a considerable amont of stolen equipment had passed through a farm in the north of the country. So after several meetings with the police, a decision was taken to issue a search warrant on the premises. I was named on the warrant and it was my job to identify any machines that were deemed suspicious. All the machines I inspected at the farm were clear of theft and finance so i decided to carry out a perimeter check of the farm.
I picked up on some tractor tyre tracks which were not immediatley suspicious on a farm, but I decided to follow them until they crossed a small bridge. This led into a large public wood. I followed these tracks for approximatley a half mile and BINGO! a stolen machine hidden under the canopy of the trees.
It was also interesting that the rear off side tyre had sustained some quite severe damage at some point to two of the tread patterns which were apparent on both the farm and the woodland.
I have been lucky enough to be a student of Ian Maxwell of Shadowhawk over the last couple of years, and whilst my interest lies with tracking deer and badgers it was a refreshing change to use my skills for a different purpose.
I can remember Ian saying to me after a foundation course "You will never stop tracking", and it's absolutley true. That day I started out in boring work mode and ended up in happy tracker mode. Thanks Ian!
To conclude the machine has been returned to the insurance company and the police are continuing their enquiries. If they succeed in getting a prosecution I will let you all know.
Nick
PS. Max, I must talk to you about the gait pattern of a New Holland tractor when we next meet!
I like success stories thought I would share this one with you.
Whilst I love my bushcraft and tracking at weekends, like all hobbies this has to be funded by my day job.
During the day I work as an investigator for a company which specialise in tracing stolen plant and agriculture machinery. This generally involves the use of databases, informants, tracking devices etc.
I recently received information that a considerable amont of stolen equipment had passed through a farm in the north of the country. So after several meetings with the police, a decision was taken to issue a search warrant on the premises. I was named on the warrant and it was my job to identify any machines that were deemed suspicious. All the machines I inspected at the farm were clear of theft and finance so i decided to carry out a perimeter check of the farm.
I picked up on some tractor tyre tracks which were not immediatley suspicious on a farm, but I decided to follow them until they crossed a small bridge. This led into a large public wood. I followed these tracks for approximatley a half mile and BINGO! a stolen machine hidden under the canopy of the trees.
It was also interesting that the rear off side tyre had sustained some quite severe damage at some point to two of the tread patterns which were apparent on both the farm and the woodland.
I have been lucky enough to be a student of Ian Maxwell of Shadowhawk over the last couple of years, and whilst my interest lies with tracking deer and badgers it was a refreshing change to use my skills for a different purpose.
I can remember Ian saying to me after a foundation course "You will never stop tracking", and it's absolutley true. That day I started out in boring work mode and ended up in happy tracker mode. Thanks Ian!
To conclude the machine has been returned to the insurance company and the police are continuing their enquiries. If they succeed in getting a prosecution I will let you all know.
Nick
PS. Max, I must talk to you about the gait pattern of a New Holland tractor when we next meet!
