Price of GPS theft doubled in first 4 months of the 12 months

New figures from the agricultural insurance coverage department of the Nationwide Farmers Union (NFU Mutual) present that the price of GPS theft within the UK has doubled within the first 4 months of 2023 in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months.

The insurer has now issued a safety alert to farmers to alert them that GPS programs have grow to be one of the crucial focused items of farm gear for thieves.

April noticed GPS thefts hit the second-highest month-to-month stage ever, in keeping with NFU Mutual, and it has urged farmers to overview their safety as harvest approaches to keep away from turning into a sufferer.

Lead of NFU Mutual’s agricultural engineering discipline staff, Bob Henderson, stated: “The dimensions of GPS theft we’re at the moment seeing makes it important that farmers take all doable steps to guard their GPS gear by eradicating it from tractors, combines and different machines and locking it up securely when not in use.

“The busy harvesting season is quickly approaching. We’re very involved that the gangs committing these thefts might be upping their recreation.

“Provide chain issues trigger lengthy waits for alternative GPS gear, which ends up in critical disruption to farmers and prevents them gathering their crops in prime situation.”

Henderson stated disrupting “worldwide felony distribution traces” for gangs to sell-on stolen GPS gear is the important thing to controlling the present crime wave.

He stated that NFU Mutual is at the moment working carefully with police, equipment producers and farmers to “make it harder for these gangs to function”.

GPS theft

NFU Mutual has launched a ‘GPS safety information’ to assist farmers shield their gear and keep away from turning into victims of GPS theft.

The protecting steps embrace:

Activate PIN safety on GPS package with your individual distinctive quantity if out there;
Mark your postcode on the unit’s case to discourage thieves and hint your property again to you;
Hold tractors and combines with GPS fitted saved out of sight when doable;
Take away GPS package when doable, from tractors and different equipment and retailer it securely when not in use;
File serial numbers and {photograph} your package;
Verify serial numbers of second-hand package supplied on the market.

Chief of the nationwide rural crime unit, Supt. Andrew Huddleston, stated: “Organised and decided felony gangs at the moment are focusing on GPS gear on farms throughout the size and breadth of the UK, with 5 thefts in Kent within the final week alone.

“These felony gangs are placing a variety of effort into figuring out farm gear fitted with GPS, watching these farms and even utilizing drones to identify alternatives to return at evening.

“They go to nice lengths to pay money for package, breaking via locked gates and buildings safety programs to take GPS from equipment.”

Huddleston stated eradicating GPS models from equipment at evening and locking it in well-secured cupboards is the easiest way to forestall thefts.

“Whereas it’s inconvenient to spend a number of minutes eradicating gear after a tough day’s work, that’s preferable to dropping it to the gangs, with lengthy delays of weeks, and even months, to pay money for alternative models,” he stated.

“When it’s not sensible to take away models from machines due to ongoing work away from the farmstead, attempt to park up equipment the place it may possibly’t be seen simply.

“Both forensically marking, portray or scratching your farm identify or publish code onto your GPS makes them much less engaging to thieves and more durable to sell-on.”

Huddleston urged farmers and people residing in rural areas to share any data referring to suspicious automobiles shifting round at any time of the day.

“A lot of the stolen models are going overseas, however some are supplied on the market on-line right here. If one thing is obtainable low-cost, there’s a motive – don’t gasoline criminal activity by shopping for from these adverts,” he warned.