Cost of living crisis could trigger winter crime epidemic on Caithness farms

As the clocks go back on Sunday (October 30), NFU Mutual urges farmers to increase security as darker winter nights enable criminals to raid the countryside unseen.

The leading rural insurer is concerned that the nights drawing in, combined with the deepening cost of living crisis, could trigger further increases in thefts from farms and rural properties. A recent poll by NFU Mutual found that 89 per cent of respondents believed that inflation would lead to an increase in rural crime.

NFU Mutual claims for thefts reveal that farm vehicles, including tractors, quad bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) pick-up trucks, and Land Rover Defenders, are all targets for rural thieves. This year, trailers are also being stolen in large numbers.

Increases in the prices of diesel, heating oil, fertiliser and machinery are also making farms more attractive targets for criminals. Large-scale fuel theft is plaguing farms, with reports of tank raiders stealing over 1000 litres in recent weeks.

Thieves are also continuing to steal expensive tractor Global Positioning Systems (GPS) which are used to manage field operations, from drilling and fertiliser application, to harvest.

High food prices could also lead to a resurgence of livestock rustling, making it vital for stock markings to be clear and stock regularly checked through winter months.

To help farmers protect their property, NFU Mutual has invested £430,000 in rural crime initiatives.

Rebecca Davidson, NFU Mutual rural affairs specialist said: “This year we’re very concerned that rising inflation and the energy crisis could be the catalyst for an epidemic of crime in the countryside. "Knowing that criminals are watching farms like hawks to spot opportunities to steal causes high levels of anxiety and makes it difficult for farming families to live a normal life."

New advice on protecting rural property to avoid becoming a victim of rural crime is available as the NFU Mutual’s 2022 Rural Crime report and the insurer’s latest advice videos.

NFU Mutual Winter Farm Security Guide:

• Lock outbuildings at night and carry out regular security checks during colder months
• Close and lock yard gates at night to deter drive-through thieves
• Ensure security lighting, intruder alarms and cameras are working correctly
• Don’t leave vehicles and implements where they can be easily seen from near-by roads by criminals searching for theft opportunities
• Never leave keys in machines when not in use
• Remove GPS systems where possible and lock them in a secure place overnight
• Store diesel and heating oil in tanks away from the public gaze and consider a fuel tank alarm
• Store fertiliser in a secure building
• Keep portable tools such as chainsaws, jet washers and welders in a secure locked ‘cage’
• Regularly review farm insurance to make sure everything is adequately covered as prices rise
• Join a local farm watch group or WhatsApp network to keep updated about local rural crime trends and suspicious sightings
• Mark tools, equipment and implements to deter thieves and aid recovery by police
• Use tracking devices, immobilisers and CESAR-marking on tractors and quadbikes to deter thieves
• Use mechanical devices to anchor down quads
• Ensure livestock makings are clear and regularly check stock numbers
• ‘Know what you own’ - record all makes, models, serial numbers and photograph kit to help police investigate and aid an insurance claim
• Ask neighbours to keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report them to police