Warning after wave of tractor thefts

Rural insurer reminds farmers of need to improve security on their premises

By Joe Watson

Published:

Thefts of machinery from Scottish farms have more than halved in the last year, according to Britain’s biggest rural insurer.

But NFU Mutual said yesterday that farmers in England had suffered from a crimewave with the cost of claims soaring from £12.577million to £17.812million.

It said English farms had been hit by thieves stealing high-value tractors to order for immediate export through Channel ports to overseas buyers.

NFU Mutual risk management services spokesman Terry Price added: “This worrying trend is being driven by a world shortage of new farm machinery following an upturn in arable farm incomes and large-scale investment in agriculture in eastern Europe.”

Among machines stolen was a £42,000 John Deere tractor which was taken from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset while on hire. The tractor was seized by police a week later after it was spotted on a low loader at a service station on the M5 in Gloucestershire.

The annual figures put the cost of crime for farmers insured through the Mutual at £21.705million, a £2.39million, or 12.38%, increase.

Within that Scottish claims fell 51.31% to £1.414million, largely the result of a dramatic drop in the number of quad bikes stolen from farms in the Glasgow area.

The Mutual used the release of the figures to remind farmers that with new and secondhand machinery values soaring because of global shortages they should be reviewing their valuations and updating their insurance policies.

Mr Price said thieves has also in the last year stolen more metal and fuel from farms in response to rising prices for both. Irrigation pipes, gates and even heavy-metal machinery had been taken.

Diesel thefts were up 30%. It had also seen a new phenomenon – an increasing number of thefts of central heating oil from rural homes.

Mr Price praised farmers who had already moved farmyard diesel tanks and improved security through fitting floodlights and alarms to them.

He reminded farmers that simply fitting padlocks did not deter those determined to steal fuel, adding: “Sometimes thieves will smash locks, damaging the tank in the process, or simply drill a hole in it to steal oil. Not only does this mean the tank has to be repaired or replaced, but it also means there is a risk of oil spills and subsequent pollution which can cost tens of thousands of pounds to clear up.”

Neither Grampian Police nor Northern Constabulary were able yesterday to provide the Press and Journal with detailed agricultural crime statistics.

But Grampian crime reduction officer Constable George Sangster said there had in recent months been an increase in the amount of diesel, heating oil and metal thefts. He encouraged farmers and other rural dwellers to become involved in Farmwatch schemes, where local residents group together to look out for suspicious activity and then report it to the police.

Mr Sangster said anyone interested in setting up a scheme should contact the force on 0845 600 5700.

The Mutual also reminded farmers of the need to improve security on their farms by removing keys from vehicles, using security lighting, recording machinery serial numbers, planting shrubs or installing fences to hide exposed oil tanks as well as considering tracking or immobiliser devices for more expensive machinery and vehicles.