THANKS to money confiscated from criminals, Essex Police will be giving 200 farmers and agricultural businesses across the county unique DNA property marking kits to protect their vehicles, machinery and tools.
Each SelectaDNA kit contains a solution capable of marking up to 50 items, large or small, ranging from combine harvesters, tractors and GPS equipment to chainsaws and smaller tools.
The force’s Rural Engagement Team will be visiting selected farmers and landowners across the county to mark up their property and keep it safe. Special signs will tell would-be thieves that the equipment and machinery on that farm or business is protected.
Sergeant Paul Brady explains: “The microdots in the solution contain a code unique to that marking kit. Rural engagement officers use a special scope which can read that code on the spot.
“This will immediately confirm whether property is stolen, which makes it easier for us to secure theft charges and achieve successful prosecutions because the evidence is beyond doubt.
“Property marking makes items too hot to handle and deters thieves. It also means we can quickly return stolen items to their owners.
“Sadly, all too often, we recover agricultural machinery, vehicles and tools we know or suspect to be stolen but cannot prove it because we cannot establish ownership. And we don’t always know who to return them to, either.”
The cash to pay for the kits has come from the Proceeds of Crime scheme run by Essex Community Foundation, which manages money police officers seize in cash and assets from those involved in crimes such as drug dealing and fraud. There is no cost to the farmer or business receiving a kit.
Paul says the scheme is an extension of the Rural Engagement Team’s crucial work in building relationships with farmers, landowners and rural businesses, giving crime prevention advice and providing support and reassurance to those who have suffered thefts and other crimes.
“The theft of agricultural equipment and vehicles causes huge disruption to rural farms and businesses and they can be expensive to replace. Marking your property and displaying signs which inform would-be thieves of this fact can be a vital deterrent,” he says.
In the past year, Epping Forest Community Policing Team has seen a reduction in reports of thefts of rural equipment by 66% following a separate operation to mark property with SelectaDNA kits.
While, through the district’s community safety partnership, Uttlesford Community Policing Team secured funding earlier this year to offer SelectaDNA property marking kits to all working farms within the district.
Essex Police rural engagement officers provide specialist crime prevention advice. Visit the Essex Police Rural Crime pages to find out how they can help you and your farming business: www.essex.police.uk/ruralcrime
And check out the force’s Make Your Mark webpage to find out more about protecting your property by marking and registering items on national databases: www.essex.police.uk/makeyourmark
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