Rural Security Checklist – How to Protect Your Rural Business

Security is about protecting assets. In this short blog, we provide a concise list of ways to protect your rural business from the impact of crime.

There are various forms of crime currently impacting the farming and rural communities:

• Fly-tipping
• Tractor GPS theft
• Quad bike theft
• Livestock rustling
• Pet theft

Before beginning this article, here are a couple of recent blogs we’ve published on the subject of rural crime:

How to improve farm security and deter criminals

How criminals use drones to target businesses

Rural crime survey 2021 – the impact on rural communities

Fly-tipping CCTV. Helping to reduce the impact of crime

Rural Security Checklist – How to Protect Your Rural Business

This checklist splits into three areas, as well as some useful links related to the topic:

Physical – tools, equipment and buildings

• Make sure you keep farm vehicles and plant machinery out of sight. Lock them up, remove the keys and keep them in a safe
• Review the site perimeter for access points; block them if they aren’t regularly used
• Ensure hedgerows and plants are well-trimmed. Thieves use them when carrying out surveillance
• Make sure you store your tools securely
• Anchor down quad bikes, and block them in (if they aren’t stored in a building overnight)
• Remove Tractor GPS systems wherever possible, as they are highly sought after. Mark your kit with forensic or indelible ink
• Outbuildings. Make sure all hinges work and locks are fit-for-purpose
• Makes sure you lock all windows and doors, even when you are at home
• Have a tick box process at the end of each shift; make sure all security measures are being adhered to

The local community – working together to deter crime

• If there is a local Rural and Farm Watch scheme, join it. Working together as a community to deter crime.
• Create a local WhatsApp group to share information about local criminal and suspicious activity
• Get to know your neighbours and build a relationship with your local rural crime team
• Involve the Police. Report all crimes and suspicious sightings to them
• Use the Crimestoppers number to report rural crimes anonymously. If you are worried about criminal taking revenge, this option keeps you nice and safe
• Post incidents on social media, involve the wider community

Tech – modern electronic security systems and recommendations

• Implement intruder detection systems in and around your outbuildings and property
• CCTV. If you have it, get it. Make sure it is a quality system; clear images, day and night
• Make sure you fit all quads and tractors with tracking devices and immobilisers
• Use security floodlights and movement detection alarms on farm buildings
• Perimeter Security. Do you have CCTV monitoring the perimeter? Is there effective fencing in place?
• Use CESAR vehicle marking to deter criminals and aid recoveries
• Make sure fuel tanks are alarmed
• Consider an ANPR camera to monitor the main entrances. If the system picks up the same number plate regularly, you might have a criminal casing your premises

Useful links

Our business covers Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire.

Here are some useful links related to rural crime in the counties we cover:

Berkshire & Oxfordshire

Thames Valley Police – Rural Crime

Wiltshire

Wiltshire Rural Crime Team

Hampshire

Hampshire Rural Crime Team

General

Crimestoppers

Wildlife Crime Unit

ACE (Agricultural and Construction Equipment) Police Unit