Cut rural crime with FWi-Theftline

17 March 2000



Cut rural crime with FWi-Theftline

RURAL crime has always been with us. But in the past it was the unlucky few who fell victim. Most farmers felt that the countryside was safe from the mass theft seen in urban areas.

Not any more. The NFU Mutual reckons theft has cost farmers £93m in 1998 and a similar figure last year. The convenience of roll-on, roll-off ferries means that your stolen stock trailer could be overseas within 48 hours.

Prospects for recovery arent bright. Up to 60% of stolen cars are recovered but only 10% of plant and equipment. Things such as ATVs, welders and generators dont have to be registered on purchase, so theres no DVLA or police computer to check ownership.

But now theres a new way to keep tabs on stolen kit. The National Plant and Equipment Register (known as TER) and Farmers Weeklys on-line information service FWi have teamed up to offer FWi-Theftline – the UKs most comprehensive stolen equipment recovery service.

TER was set up for the construction industry but is now open to farm users. It already has about 340,000 items worth £465m registered by their rightful owners and its stolen register holds 31,000 items worth £125m.

Theres no sign-up fee and for £10/item you can register individual items. If the police and customs discover suspect kit, they can check it against this database and increase its chances of being reunited with its rightful owner.

There are other benefits too. When stolen kit is recovered there may be no need for an insurance claim, so theres no danger of a premium rise or excess to pay.

And when buying a second-hand machine, you can easily check its credentials.
If you want to find out more about this powerful new tool in the fight against rural crime, just point your browser at www.fwi.co.uk and click on the Theftline link.

If you havent bought a computer yet, all is not lost as our feature on p84 explains. Our service wont stamp out rural crime, but it will help protect your property from light-fingered visitors.

For further details of the FWi-Theftline service CLICK HERE .