Tractor and quad theft costs in Scotland have fallen by almost half in the three years since key stakeholders joined forces through an anti rural crime initiative SPARC.
SPARC Initiative (Scotland Partnership Against Rural Crime) has been running across Scotland for three years.
Latest claims statistics from NFU Mutual, which insures over 75% of the UK’s farmers, show that the cost of tractor and quad theft in Scotland has fallen by 48% over the same period.
The fall in thefts of tractors, quads and other agricultural vehicles in Scotland is in contrast to NFU Mutual’s latest claim statistics for the whole of the UK – which show that cost of rural theft rose by 13.4% in 2017.
SPARC
The SPARC Initiative was launched in June 2015 with financial support from NFU Mutual, which has now provided over £135,000 backing for the scheme.
This funding has enabled Police Scotland to train officers in the investigation and prevention of a range of rural crimes, provide support for vehicle and livestock theft detection operations and step up new schemes to prevent livestock worrying by dogs.
To deliver the SPARC initiative, Police Scotland and NFU Mutual work closely with a number of rural organisations in Scotland, including NFU Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Scottish Government.
‘Brazen and determined rural thieves’
“We are delighted that our partnership with Police Scotland for the SPARC scheme is proving so effective,” said Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Regional Manager for Scotland.
“As the insurer of the majority of farmers and many country people and their businesses, NFU Mutual’s staff and agents across Scotland are all too aware of the deep anxiety and distress rural crime can have on people in isolated locations.
“That’s why we work hard to tackle rural crime and provided financial support for initiatives which we think can effectively protect country people from the scourge of rural crime.
“However, there is no room for complacency. A new breed of brazen and determined rural thieves are at large determined to steal vehicles and tools so it is important to be alert, report suspicious sightings to neighbours and police and to ensure good security measures are in place.”
Chief Superintendent John McKenzie, chairman of SPARC, said: “These results are very encouraging and show how effective a security initiative which encompasses the whole of rural Scotland can be.
“Working closely with our partner organisations means we can quickly respond to emerging trends and crime hot spots – sending a clear message to would-be thieves.”
