Police STOP ME! stickers rolled out to farmers to crack down on agricultural theft

A new initiative to prevent agricultural theft in rural communities has been rolled out across County Durham and Darlington thanks to funding from Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen.

The scheme involves the distribution of bespoke orange stickers for use on agricultural plant and machinery and vehicles encouraging police to proactively stop and check the equipment if it is seen on the road or unattended in an unusual place between the hours of 10pm and 5am.

The initiative is modelled on similar projects in other parts of the country which have successfully driven down agricultural theft.

As part of her commitment to tackling rural crime, the Commissioner has provided funding worth more than £1,500 to purchase 2,000 stickers and associated promotional material.

The scheme is being promoted on posters in rural crime hotspots with stickers being distributed by rural Single Point of Contact (SPOC) officers who will seize on the opportunity to engage and develop links with farmers and agricultural workers.

It has also been registered and shared nationally with other forces via intelligence bulletins to encourage cross-border police to undertake proactive outside of the county should any plan or machinery displaying the stickers be seen during the specified times.

Safer Countryside was one of six overarching priorities in the PCC’s first Police and Crime Plan and her support of the initiative is part of a determined effort to boost support for rural residents and businesses.

The Commissioner recently announced the launch of her Rurali project which has seen more than £200k of Safer Streets funding directed into two new Ruralwatch Coordinators and a dedicated intelligence officer to capture and develop intelligence gleaned from Ruralwatch WhatsApp groups to target offenders.

Commissioner Allen said: “Crime costs our rural businesses millions of pounds every year. Every loss has a devasting psychological impact on owners and threatens livelihoods. It is vital we do what we can to protect more businesses suffering through crime.

“This scheme encourages officers to action their suspicions immediately to prevent criminals exploiting our countryside and disrupt the criminal networks that are responsible for this activity, while potentially bringing more offenders to justice. It will also reassure our rural communities that we take their safety very seriously and are working hard to protect their homes and property.

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“Every crime has a ripple effect, not only leaving the victim feeling vulnerable and fearful, but also the wider community too. This scheme sends out a strong message to the criminal fraternity that their activities are under the watchful eye of both the police and the public and we will not hesitate to act should their movements cause suspicion.”

The stickers are A5 in size and have been printed on Oralite reflective material to assist in easy identification. They can be used on excavators, trailers, quad bikes, tractors and any other high-value equipment that could be potentially lucrative for thieves. They indicate the owner of the property does not typically have the item on the road during the night.  

It is believed a significant proportion of plant and machinery thefts are committed by criminals from outside the area travelling into rural communities to undertake their crimes. This includes organised crime groups who steal to order.

The force area covers an expansive rural landscape making it an easier target for criminals who travel in and out of the county hoping to remain undetected.
The scheme will be promoted at country shows and agricultural events alongside individual farm visits by rural officers.

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