I have been a security specialist for 30 years and there are definitely lessons from other industries that could benefit farmers. If a thief doesn’t like the look of your quad bike, or doesn’t believe they can make a quick buck from selling it, they are less likely to take it. Who steals a 2001 Datsun Sunny when it’s parked next to a 2013 Aston Martin?
It is, therefore, worth thinking about how you can make your farming equipment less attractive to a would-be thief. Take steps that subconsciously shout: “That’s my quad bike, hands off.”
Yes, you can buy complex vehicle immobilisers and high-tech satellite tracking devices, but this increases your capital expenditure and can only provide part of the solution.
In the first instance, I advocate low-cost, simple measures. You could engrave your postcode in prominent places, write your farm name or telephone number on exposed body panels or spot weld your favourite shape on the vehicle chassis. Essentially, create a visual mark that makes your property unique and quickly recognisable.
As my granddad used to say, “In the good old days, we used to brand our horses so no one nicked them and, if they got caught, we’d hang ’em.” I’m not suggesting we bring back capital punishment for nicking a tractor, but there is something in the idea of “branding” your modern-day cart horse.
You can go as far as marking your property with commercially available security marking solutions, which create a “forensic DNA” that enables identification of machines and authorised owners.
If you will be looking to sell your machinery on after a few years then you need to be careful how you mark your property so as not to devalue it and prevent a sale. If, however, you buy it for lifetime use then be bold and consider customising it so it becomes one of a kind; unmistakably yours and something that would be considered out of place anywhere else.
If you choose to customise or overtly mark your equipment, be sure not to alter the qualities of the commercially installed safety devices or negate the terms of your manufacturer’s warranty. Theft prevention strategies should also never introduce unacceptable risks to the health of you or those who operate the machinery.
Additional vehicle marking advice can be found on the Construction Equipment Security and Registration scheme website and from the Plant & Agricultural National Intelligence Unit.
If you choose to brand your equipment then take a digital photograph and add it to your equipment register. A picture paints a thousand words.
