Gardaí and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) have today (Tuesday, 23rd September 2014) launched Theft Stop, a joint crime prevention initiative to tackle the theft of farm machinery.
Theft Stop is designed to deter criminals from taking and selling farm equipment by ensuring it is clearly marked with a unique ID and then registered on a nationwide database.
Following a successful pilot of the scheme in Tipperary, An Garda Síochána and the IFA intend to the roll-out the system nationwide in 2015. They are appealing for farmers from across the country to sign-up to the scheme over the coming months.
While figures from An Garda Síochána Analysis Service show that property crimes at farms fell 8% in the last year, over €1.7m worth of property was stolen from farms during that time.
The most common category of property taken in the last year was farm equipment with trailers being a particular target for thieves.
Theft Stop is a crime prevention initiative designed to help further reduce the theft of farm machinery by deterring criminals from taking and selling it on.
Theft Stop will see farmers able to mark their equipment with a unique serial number that will be linked to a national database. The clearly visible serial number should act as a deterrent to criminals. A further impediment for criminals is that the details and serial numbers of stolen equipment can be viewed by would-be buyers on-line at www.theftstop.ie.
When an individual logs onto www.theftstop.ieand registers for free, a Security ID will be set up that is tied to his/her IFA membership number. The individual is then offered the opportunity to purchase a stencil kit to paint onto their farm equipment. A metal stamping kit is also available for use on hidden parts of their machines, as well as farm gate signs saying that machinery has been security marked.
Both An Garda Síochána and the IFA recommend that the stamped equipment is then photographed and the photographs stored for future use in case of theft.
If a theft does occur, it should be reported to An Garda Síochána, whereupon a PULSE incident number will be issued. Once this has been received, Theft Stop can then be advised by the farmer of the theft either online or through a dedicated phone number.
Theft Stop will then:
- Circulate details of the stolen items to its members
- Display details of the stolen machinery online for members to view
- Provide a database of stolen items for viewing for those with concerns about any purchases they are about to make
Top 5 Farm Theft Prevention Tips
Theft Stop originated as a joint initiative between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI along the border. It was developed further and has been piloted in Tipperary since early 2014. No marked items have been stolen during the pilot to date.
Both An Garda Síochána and the IFA believe the scheme will assist in preventing, reducing, and detecting rural crime.
Tackling farm theft and the impact it has on people’s livelihoods continues to be a priority for An Garda Síochána.
Assistant Commissioner Jack Nolan commented that: "Theft Stop is another excellent example of effective Crime Prevention in partnership. Working in tandem with established crime prevention methods, it will be an invaluable resource in the fight against rural crime.”
Eddie Downey, IFA President stated that: "Any steps that act as a crime deterrent and make farms more secure are to be welcomed, and I would encourage our members to take advantage of this joint initiative with An Garda Síochána”.
Notes:
Crime prevention advice is available here.
Theft Stop website – www.theftstop.ie, Theft Stop phone number – 1890 989 598
