Warning over spate of quad bike thefts during lockdown

Farmers have been warned that lockdown restrictions are doing little to deter criminals from targeting any security weakness to steal quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

A spate of incidents in Wales has prompted calls for farmers to beef up security and report any suspicious activity to the police.

Farms in the Powys and Monmouthshire areas have been hit by thieves in recent weeks, with several successful and unsuccessful attempts to steal the expensive machinery. Quad bikes have also been stolen in dawn raids on farms in Northamptonshire.

NFU Cymru president John Davies said: “Although these most recent thefts occurred in the Mid Wales and South East Wales areas, we’re encouraging farmers across the country to give urgent consideration to their on-farm security.

“It seems the coronavirus lockdown restrictions and the cold temperatures are doing little to deter would-be thieves from taking items such as quad bikes and ATVs, which are integral to our daily work, from our farms.”

Farmers have been advised to secure buildings, fields and vehicles, to make it as difficult as possible for thieves, who will often stake out a farm before striking.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual said that since September quad bike and ATV theft claims had increased in Wales, the South East and the Midlands.

In Northamptonshire, two quad bikes were stolen from secure barns on farms near Sudborough. Thieves struck early in the morning last Thursday (7 January).

Northamptonshire Police said the bikes stolen were a brand new burgundy Yamaha Kodiac 450 fuel injection fitted with a 16” LED light bar, and a red 2004 Suzuki Eiger.

Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Behind the figures, the personal and business impact is significant – particularly for livestock farmers who have been hard hit by this recent spate of thefts at a critical time in the farming year. 

“It’s vitally important to step up security as what we learned from the last lockdown was that thieves turned their focus from larger pieces of machinery, which would have been easier to detect on quieter roads, to smaller, more portable, high-value items.”

Report suspicious activity

Reporting any suspicious activity will also help the police.

Mr Davies said: “It’s vital that our police forces are able to piece together a picture of the crimes occurring in our rural areas. Any information you provide could well help contribute to evidence leading to a successful prosecution further down the line.”

NFU Mutual security advice

  1. Remove keys and store securely, away from the vehicle
  2. Keep your quad locked up and out of sight. Thieves often stake out a farm before they raid, so where possible store vehicles in a locked building or where they can’t be seen from the road
  3. Install trackers
  4. Use the CESAR marking and registration system. Markings make your property less attractive to criminals and can help recover your belongings if they are stolen
  5. Target-harden your quad by creating a security cage or consider a mechanical device to anchor down the vehicle
  6. Know what you own. Take pictures of your vehicle and record make, model, serial numbers and identifiable features, to help police investigate and aid with the insurance claim
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